One MLB Manager Nearly Guaranteed To Be Fired

It hasn't been the type of season that Seattle Mariners fans were hoping for. After falling one excruciating game short of getting to the World Series last fall, the team has massively disappointed this year, sitting at 72-82, and out of the postseason. That, according to Adam Jude in the Seattle Times, will likely cost manager Dan Wilson his job. 

There is real uncertainty about the state of the organization — about the coaching staff, the front office, the roster and the payroll budget around the expected owners’ lockout come Dec. 1 — than there has been since the Mariners emerged out of their rebuilding mode following the 2021 season. 

It’s unlikely that Dan Wilson, the franchise’s Hall of Fame catcher, will return as manager, sources with knowledge of the club’s plans told The Times. 

Jude went on to suggest that no final decisions have been made about the futures of front-office executives Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander, though he adds that there has been "no indication a major change is imminent" for them.

It hasn't helped Wilson that the core of the Mariners' lineup, Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor, all had career-worst seasons. Raleigh plummeted from 60 homers to 22, and his OPS fell by 300 points. J-Rod, who was supposed to be entering his prime, struggled all season, and his OPS is also in the .600s. Naylor hasn't come close to performing like the All-Star he was in 2024, or the elite finishing piece to the lineup that he was upon his arrival at the 2025 trade deadline. 

Changes will need to be made for 2027. The starting rotation still looks deep and strong. The aforementioned trio of hitters likely aren't going anywhere. If major lineup pieces aren't moving, the next place to look, typically, is the manager's chair. Wilson has only been manager since August of 2024. His record is mixed, with a sensational 2025 and a brutally disappointing 2026. His job would appear to be on the line, as Jude suggests.