Fall River born Albernaz finalizing deal to become manager of Boston Red Sox rival

A Fall River born man who attended high school in Somerset is about to be a manager in the big leagues.

According to Senior ESPN Baseball Writer Jeff Passan, the Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a deal to hire Craig Albernaz as manager.

The 42-year-old Albernaz has been a highly respected baseball mind and wrapped up the 2024-2025 season as the associate manager for the Cleveland Guardians, working under Stephen Vogt.

Before that role, he handled duties as the team’s major league field coordinator.

Earlier in his career, Albernaz spent four seasons as the Bullpen Coach of the San Francisco Giants. San Francisco’s relief unit posted a 3.92 ERA in 2023, leading MLB in relief innings (705.1). In 2021, Giants relievers posted the lowest ERA in Major League Baseball (2.99). Prior to joining the Giants Major League staff, he coached and managed in the Tampa Bay Rays Player Development System from 2015-19, compiling a two-year managerial record of 145-83 (.636) in 2017-18 at Single-A Hudson Valley and Single-A Bowling Green.

According to MLB, the Somerset native played nine seasons in the Tampa Bay and Detroit organizations from 2006-2014, appearing in 380 games, including 122 games and parts of five seasons at the Triple-A level. He originally signed with the Rays in March 2006 after a collegiate catching career at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL.