The Seattle Mariners’ managerial search has reached Week 3, and the list of obvious answers still isn’t getting any clearer.
That uncertainty has opened the door to speculation, and Albert Pujols has become one of the names in the mix. The former St.
Louis Cardinals star has been floated as a possible fit, though he comes with a resume that looks very different from the typical big-league managerial candidate. Pujols has managed in the Caribbean Winter Ball circuit and has experience in the World Baseball Classic, but he does not bring a long track record on a major league coaching staff.
His past connection with Jerry Dipoto also makes him an especially interesting possibility. Dipoto helped sign Pujols to a major deal with the Los Angeles Angels, but things later ended with friction. Pujols supported manager Mike Scoscia, and Dipoto eventually resigned as Angels general manager during that power struggle.
ESPN’s Buster Olney addressed that history on the most recent “Refuse to Lose Territory” podcast, and he didn’t view it as a deal-breaker.
"I think that whatever experience Jerry had with him back with the Angels, he's a different person. He's moved on.
I remember having a conversation with him in the spring about being a star. Because the history of former stars becoming managers is not very good.
Like Ted Williams, for example, struggled with that. Pete Rose, struggled with that.
Because there's always that feeling of, 'well, why don't you just do it this way?'
I think Albert has such an analytical mind that he, and you know, in the end of his career, he went from being the superstar in the National League who competed for the MVP every year to being a part-time player and coming off the bench. And I think his perspective has shifted."
Pujols’ playing career gives him no shortage of credibility. He spent 22 seasons in the majors with the Cardinals, Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers, and his numbers speak for themselves: a .296 average, 703 home runs and 2,218 RBIs.
He’s a three-time MVP, an 11-time All-Star, a six-time Silver Slugger, a two-time Gold Glover, a batting champion and a Clemente Award winner. A Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible, Pujols remains one of the most accomplished hitters the game has ever seen.
In Other News...
Mariners Fans Finally Have One Real Reason For Offseason Hope
The Mariners offseason outlook got a little more interesting after a 76-86 finish left them with the eighth-best odds in the 2027 MLB draft lottery. It is not the kind of immediate consolation prize fans were hoping for, but it does at least give Seattle a tangible path to adding another high-end amateur talent after the clubs earlier success landing Kade Anderson in 2025.
Seattles attention now turns to the shape of that draft board, with the front office eyeing a pool that could include Mississippi State left-hander Tomas Valincius or outfielder Landon Hairston depending on how the lottery breaks. The complication, of course, is that the whole picture could shift if the expiring Collective Bargaining Agreement leads to a lockout, leaving even this one real reason for optimism hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Face A Randy Arozarena Decision That Could Shape Their Offseason
Randy Arozarenas first season in Seattle gave the Mariners exactly the kind of middle-of-the-order production they were hoping for when they brought him in, and now the front office has to decide how much that matters in the bigger picture. Extending a qualifying offer would be a bet on keeping one of the lineups more reliable bats in place, while also signaling that Seattle is willing to make a real financial commitment as it sorts through an offseason that needs both offense and roster clarity.
The wrinkle is that the decision carries consequences even if Arozarena does not stay. If he declines, the Mariners would not just move on from a productive hitter, they would also have to weigh how any compensation fits into the rest of their winter plans and the way they build around the current core. For a club trying to thread the needle between contention and flexibility, this is the kind of call that can shape the tone of the entire offseason before the meetings even get going. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Raleighs Collapse Is Now A Warning In Shohei Ohtanis Mess
The Dodgers murky plans for Shohei Ohtani have created an odd little echo around the league, because the conversation is no longer just about one superstars numbers. It is also about how long a team can keep running out a marquee player when the body is telling a different story, and Mariners fans know that dilemma well after watching Cal Raleigh try to power through his own early-season issues before the situation finally caught up to him.
Raleighs case sits in the background here as a cautionary example, the kind of reminder clubs hate to confront in October. A player can look indispensable until the grind and the injury concerns start to outweigh the short-term upside, and Seattle learned how quickly that balance can shift. For the Dodgers, the question around Ohtani is now whether caution wins out or whether the urgency of the moment keeps him in the lineup a little longer. [Read more 🡒]