Mariners Name Jason Kanzler New Manager to Replace Dan Wilson

The Seattle Mariners announced Tuesday that Jason Kanzler will succeed Dan Wilson as manager following a 76-86 season.

The Seattle Mariners hired Jason Kanzler as their new manager on Tuesday, replacing Dan Wilson. Kanzler, 36, joins the organization after serving as the Chicago Cubs' director of player development since the start of 2024. He inherits a roster that finished the 2026 season with a 76-86 record, missing the playoffs by five games in an American League West division won by the Houston Astros with a .500 record.

Wilson was dismissed on the final day of the season after the Mariners failed to capitalize on a 2025 campaign where they reached Game 7 of the ALCS. During the 2026 season, the Seattle rotation—featuring Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, and Bryce Miller—recorded the sixth-highest ERA in MLB after the All-Star break. Offensively, the team saw struggles from stars Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh, while Josh Naylor underperformed in the first year of a $92.5 million contract and Brendan Donovan was limited to 39 games due to injury.

Kanzler has never managed at any professional level but previously served as a major league coach for the Houston Astros in 2022 and 2023. He was selected over finalists that reportedly included former Astros manager Joe Espada. Mariners general manager Justin Hollander and president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto cited Kanzler’s leadership and ability to connect with a roster featuring young players like Rodriguez and Raleigh as primary factors in the hire. Kanzler becomes the third manager to serve under Dipoto since 2015, following Scott Servais and Wilson.