The Seattle Mariners enter the offseason with plenty to sort out, and the pressure starts at the top.
This is a team that came within one game of the first World Series appearance in franchise history, then slid backward in a hurry. Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor and Bryan Woo all took major steps in the wrong direction, the lineup never found enough consistency, and defensive problems helped sink the season. Dan Wilson, who finished third in AL Manager of the Year voting in 2025, was let go at the end of the year.
Now the Mariners have a new manager to hire and a roster that still feels very much in transition. If they want to turn talent into something steadier, they need answers fast. If they don’t, a much bigger shakeup could follow.
The first and most obvious issue: who gets the dugout job?
Jerry Dipoto has said prior major league managerial experience would be preferred, though not required, as Seattle searches for the right fit. Whoever steps in won’t just be filling Wilson’s seat. The new manager will also be assembling a staff, with four offensive-side coaches already let go after Wilson’s firing.
There are some clear boxes to check. The Mariners will want someone with a firm defensive background and the ability to take numbers and turn them into actual game decisions.
Dipoto reportedly wants an outside voice, someone who can challenge complacency. That’s a tall order, but it also makes the job one of the more appealing openings on the market this offseason.
Then there’s the question hovering over the front office itself: how much patience will Jerry Dipoto get?
Dipoto has been in the Mariners’ front office since September 2015 and became president of baseball operations in 2021. Under his watch, Seattle has reached the postseason twice, in 2022 and 2025. The club has also been competitive more often than not, winning at least 85 games in five seasons without making the playoffs.
Still, at some point, that has to turn into something bigger. The Mariners have a solid foundation, but they remain the only franchise that has never appeared in the World Series. If 2027 goes sideways, Dipoto’s run in Seattle could be nearing its end.
And looming over all of it is a major hole in left field.
Randy Arozarena is set to hit free agency after what was arguably his best major league season. In 2026, he hit .281/.381/.484 with 26 home runs, 34 doubles and 26 stolen bases across 670 plate appearances. He also continued a remarkable run of production, giving him six straight seasons with at least 20 homers and 20 steals since establishing himself in the majors in 2021.
The problem is timing and money. Arozarena is expected to be one of the top names in what is described as a weak free-agent class, and the Mariners likely won’t be able to match his price. That would leave a huge void in the lineup.
Lazaro Montes could get the first shot to replace him, but the top prospect comes with real swing-and-miss concerns despite his upside. If Seattle wants to get back to the postseason, this is not the kind of move it can afford to miss.
In Other News...
Cal Raleigh's Historic Season Says Everything About MLB's Schedule Debate
Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association are deep in talks on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, and one of the biggest items on the table is whether the regular season should be trimmed from 162 games to 154. There are also proposals floating around that would let higher-seeded playoff teams choose their opponents, part of a broader push to reshape how the postseason works and how much the schedule should matter.
For the Mariners, the debate hits close to home because Cal Raleighs 2025 power surge became one of the clearest examples of what a full season can produce. His run through the summer turned into a centerpiece of baseballs schedule conversation, with the kind of historic pacing that makes every missed game feel significant and every proposal to shorten the grind worth a second look. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Face A Roster Reset With Four Key Free Agents Looming
The Mariners are heading into the next league year with a familiar kind of winter uncertainty, only this time the questions extend well beyond one offseason tune-up. Four players are set to reach free agency in 2026, giving Seattle a looming list of decisions around Randy Arozarena, J.P. Crawford, Taylor Ward and Hoby Milner as the front office starts to think about how much of the current core it can realistically keep together.
The picture gets even more interesting because the roster math is not limited to those four names. Victor Robles is likely to be moved off his team option, which would send him into the market, while Andres Munoz remains on track to stay in place. For a club trying to balance present-day competitiveness with future flexibility, the coming months could bring a broader reset than the standard year-end shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Manager Search Suddenly Carries A Tough Offseason Clock
The Mariners offseason has already taken on a different shape with Dan Wilson gone and a managerial search now front and center, but the timing makes the job a little trickier than usual. Whoever takes over will inherit a roster that includes key players working back from post-season surgery, a group the new skipper will need to get to know quickly while also laying the groundwork for next year.
What makes the calendar feel even tighter is the possibility of an MLB lockout after the leagues current labor deal expires on Dec. 1, which could limit direct contact with players on the 40-man roster. For Seattle, that means the next manager may have a narrow window to build rapport, establish trust and start shaping the clubhouse before the offseason becomes far less flexible than it already is. [Read more 🡒]