Major League Baseball owners unanimously approved the sale of the Orioles to a group led by David Rubenstein. MLB said the closing of the sale will occur later Wednesday. The vote was conducted by a conference call.
Commissioner Rob Manfred said: “On behalf of Major League Baseball, I thank the Angelos family for their many years of service to the game and the communities of Baltimore. Peter Angelos loved baseball, loved Baltimore and was an important part of MLB for more than three decades.
“I congratulate David Rubenstein on receiving approval from the Major League clubs as the new control person of the Orioles. As a Baltimore native and a lifelong fan of the team, David is uniquely suited to lead the Orioles moving forward. We welcome stewards of the franchise.”
In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Rubenstein wrote: “I’m breathing again … MLB just unanimously approved the deal! @orioles, the Next Chapter has begun! Go O’s!”
In a statement released by the Orioles, Rubenstein said: “To own the Orioles is a great civic duty. On behalf of my fellow owners, I want the Baltimore community and Orioles fans everywhere to know that we will work our hardest to deliver for you with professionalism, integrity, excellence, and a fierce desire to win games.
“I thank John Angelos and his family for all they have done to bring us to this point. John led a dramatic overhaul of the team’s management, roster, recruitment strategy, and farm system in recent years. Our job is to build on these accomplishments to advance a world-class professional sports agenda – with eyes on returning a World Series trophy to Baltimore.”
John Angelos, who became the Orioles’ control person in 2019 wrote: “I thank our entire partnership group and our talented front office team for their confidence and support of my efforts to restore the Orioles to elite status in Major League Baseball, to renew and extend our long-term partnership in Baltimore so that the next generation of Marylanders will grow up enjoying the Birds of Baltimore, and to transition stewardship of the club to David and his partnership group.
“Capping our organizational turnaround with a championship in perhaps the toughest division in sports, while fulfilling my pledge that the O’s would forever play ball in Charm City, dovetails perfectly with the privilege to now pass stewardship of Baltimore’s iconic team to a Baltimore native, passionate American, and celebrated philanthropist in David Rubenstein. The Orioles are in great hands, and the club, as well as the city and state that it calls home, are well positioned for success into the future.”