The Seattle Mariners still do not have a manager as November begins, but the search is expected to wrap up soon. Joe Espada and Jason Kanzler are the names most likely to surface, with one of them expected to get the job in the coming days.
Espada brings recent managerial experience, having led the Houston Astros for the last three seasons and won two American League West titles. Kanzler comes from the Astros’ coaching pipeline as a former hitting coach and is currently the farm director of the Chicago Cubs.
Even with those resumes in the mix, plenty of Mariners fans have come away feeling underwhelmed by the process. ESPN’s Buster Olney offered a different read when he joined the “Refuse to Lose Territory” podcast and discussed what Seattle appears to be looking for.
“So I think that, yeah, I've seen the names that are attached to the Mariners during this process, and I know that it's bigger than what's been reported. I know that they've had contact with a lot more people. They seem to be going through names and having conversations and getting some feedback.
But I think that my read on it is they want to make sure that they're in lockstep. What's most important for the Mariners is that they're in lockstep with the person that they wind up hiring.
Now, I will say, while I think that the process might feel underwhelming for different reasons, I think the first and foremost reason is that they're not necessarily, like, these crazy star candidates right now. It's not like when you talk to teams, like, "Oh, my God, that Brady Farkas guy with that team. People can't wait to hire that guy."
You know, there are some years when you hear that at this point, we don't.
Joe Espada, I've said all along I think the Mariners should get someone who's experienced. I don't think they can afford to have another manager who's not experienced.
But I do, from everything I hear, it feels like what's most important is that the Mariners front office is comfortable with the idea that they are in lockstep, have symbiosis with whoever they hire.”
That lines up with the idea that Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander want a manager they can work with closely, someone who shares the front office’s vision. For some fans, that kind of alignment can sound like control. But in practice, it usually just means a team wants a manager whose approach matches the people making the decisions above him.
Whoever gets the job will be tasked with guiding Seattle back toward contention after a rough year. The Mariners finished 76-86 and missed the playoffs, leaving the next manager with plenty to clean up.
In Other News...
Mariners Face Costly Bullpen Decision With Emilio Pagn
The Mariners are surveying the relief market with an eye toward adding a veteran right-hander, and Emilio Pagn has emerged as a name worth tracking. A free agent after a season in Cincinnati, Pagn brings a profile that fits what Seattle often looks for in the bullpen: experience, swing-and-miss ability and a track record that suggests there is still some upside to chase in the right setting.
What makes him especially intriguing for Seattle is the ballpark factor, since T-Mobile Park tends to be a friendlier place for pitchers than some of the hitter-friendly environments he has worked in before. The catch is cost, because a pursuit of Pagn would likely push the Mariners into a deal north of $10 million per year, which would make this more than just a depth signing and turn it into a meaningful financial decision for a bullpen that still has other needs to sort through. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Just Got Another Real Third Base Option To Consider
The Mariners have another third-base name to weigh as they look ahead to their 2027 roster picture. The Korean Baseball Organization has posted Roh Si-hwan, opening a 30-day window for all 30 MLB clubs to negotiate with the Hanwha Eagles infielder, and Seattle is among the teams that could be in the mix as it continues searching for answers on the left side of the infield.
Roh brings a track record that makes him more than a flyer. He has spent eight seasons with Hanwha and has also built international experience through events like the 2022 Asian Games and the 2026 World Baseball Classic, giving him the kind of rsum that tends to draw attention when clubs are hunting for established help rather than a pure projection. For the Mariners, the question is whether this becomes a real pursuit or simply another option in a market that could shape how they patch together third base. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Enter A Stretch That Could Define Their Entire Winter
The Mariners are heading into a November that could shape much more than the next few weeks, with the club still searching for its next manager while a cluster of offseason deadlines starts to close in. Before the month is out, Seattle has to sort through roster business, weigh qualifying offer decisions and navigate the non-tender deadline, all while the rest of the sport begins handing out awards and shifting into winter mode.
The timing makes the stretch especially important because each date carries its own ripple effect, from roster planning to the kind of front-office maneuvering that can change the tone of an entire offseason. The general managers meetings in Las Vegas from Nov. 9 to 12 will add another layer to the process, giving the Mariners a chance to keep building their plan even as the managerial search remains unfinished. [Read more 🡒]