Rocco Baldelli is out of the running for the Seattle Mariners’ managerial job.
The Los Angeles Dodgers special assistant had been considered for the opening, but he has stepped away from the process so he can devote more time to his family, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Baldelli, 45, had been linked to the search after joining the Dodgers organization in December 2025. That move reunited him with president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, whose time as Tampa Bay Rays general manager lined up with Baldelli’s playing career. Baldelli also spent a short time in the Rays front office with Friedman after his retirement.
His name has come up in other managerial searches before, too, including openings with the Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals. Baldelli has also made it clear he still wants another shot at managing someday, which leaves him positioned for future opportunities once the timing works better.
As a manager, Baldelli spent seven seasons with the Minnesota Twins and went 527-505 before being dismissed at the end of the 2025 season. He won American League Manager of the Year in 2019 and helped lead Minnesota to three AL Central titles during his run.
With Baldelli exiting, Seattle’s search continues to center on other candidates. The Mariners are believed to have interviewed former Houston Astros manager Joe Espada and Chicago Cubs director of player development Jason Kanzler. They also reportedly had interest in former New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza before he took a job with the Philadelphia Phillies as their new third base coach under Don Mattingly.
Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners’ president of baseball operations, previously indicated he would prefer a manager with experience, a detail that would seemingly favor Espada over Kanzler.
Espada most recently managed Houston before the Astros were swept by the Chicago White Sox in the 2026 AL Wild Card Series. Over three seasons with the Astros, he posted a 256-229 record and won two AL West titles, though the club went 0-4 in the postseason under him.
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