Mariners manager Dan Wilson won't be back for 2027

The Seattle Mariners will have a new manager in 2027.

Dan Wilson, the team's current skipper, informed players and staff that he will not be returning to his role next season, per multiple reports. It's unclear if he will remain with the organization with a different job.

The Mariners confirmed the news hours later, with president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto saying "it was concluded" that Wilson wouldn't return following conversations over the past week.

"Collectively we failed to meet our own expectations this season," Dipoto said. "Dan and I both care deeply about this organization, these players, and the future of the Mariners. After much discussion it was concluded that a new direction is best for 2027 and beyond.

"I want to thank Dan for his efforts over the past two years and specifically recognize his role in our club advancing to Game 7 of the ALCS in 2025."

Wilson's departure as manager comes after one of the most disappointing seasons in Mariners' history , which is saying a lot for a team that has seen so much disappointment. Seattle, which came within one game of its first World Series last season, instead finished the season below .500 and out of the playoff race.

Star players like Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez experienced notable slumps, while the Mariners' mediocre bullpen let key games slide throughout the season. Seattle's talented but overstuffed starting rotation also created challenges, with Wilson attempting to even things out with a "piggyback" plan that was unpopular among his pitchers.

Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander are reportedly expected to return next season, per MLB.com . Next year would mark Dipoto's 12th season in the position, and Hollander's 11th.

Wilson, a member of the Mariners Hall of Fame who has worked for the organization as a player, broadcaster, executive and coach going back to 1994, lasted just over two seasons as manager before it fell apart. Wilson was hired by the Mariners in 2024 after the team fired longtime manager Scott Servais in the middle of another disappointing season.

At the time, Wilson's hire was a bit of an eyebrow-raiser: The former catcher had no previous managerial experience and appeared to be hired more for his ties to the franchise. He also did not start with an "interim" tag on his title, but started out as the full-fledged manager right away.

Still, something clicked last season, as the Mariners hit 90 wins, winning the American League West for the first time since 2001 and making the playoffs for just the third time this century. Seattle beat the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS to advance to the ALCS, but the M's lost to the Toronto Blue Jays after Toronto forced a Game 7, which the Jays won.

With expectations higher than ever heading into 2026, the dramatic fall-off leaves the Mariners looking for a scapegoat; Wilson, it seems, is the one who fit the bill.