The 2026 season has not gone according to plan for the Seattle Mariners. Last season, they won 90 games, an American League West title and were the second seed in the junior circuit. The team also was just one game short of a trip to the World Series.
That doesn’t appear to be the case this year, as they are well below .500 and 4 1/2 games back in the wild card race. A lot needs to go right for Seattle to get back to the postseason for the second year in a row.
Manager Dan Wilson has caught a lot of criticism this year from fans and the media, and Mariners fans are certainly wondering if he is on the hot seat. Andy McCollough of The Athletic believes that while 2026 isn’t all Wilson’s fault, he still is unlikely to be the skipper of the Mariners in 2027.
“The Mariners do not play a particularly crisp brand of baseball. Nearly a quarter of their at-bats end in strikeouts,” McCollough wrote. “They rank 27th in FanGraphs’ metric measuring base-running value and 30th in defensive value. The lack of fundamentals looks more problematic when the talent is underperforming. And that does reflect on the manager. Which is why he probably won’t be the manager next season.”
Seattle Mariners Facing Crucial Decision with Dan Wilson
Entering Thursday’s slate of games, Seattle is 66-74. They have also fallen into a five-game hole in the American League West. While things can change quickly, especially given how weak the American League has been in 2026, that’s not exactly something the Mariners can hang their hat on.
Wilson has been the team’s skipper since 2024 when he was promoted to replace Scott Servais. Mariners fans have been critical of his decision making in Game 7 of the ALCS last year against the Toronto Blue Jays, and fans are still criticizing that this season. Given that their offense is cold and their baserunning and defense have fallen flat, it’s hard to imagine that the Mariners will turn things around this late in the season.
It’s going to take a miracle for them to reach the postseason, and if they don’t make it back, that does somewhat reflect on Wilson, and it means that the Mariners may have to end up making a change at the end of the season.
They haven’t taken the necessary steps to be a true contender this season, so eventually, Wilson’s leash may be a little shorter.
Candidates for Seattle Mariners to Replace Dan Wilson
Ron Washington was let go by the Los Angeles Angels at the end of last season, while the San Francisco Giants let go of Bob Melvin. Brandon Hyde also isn’t currently employed, and Albert Pujols has been waiting for his opportunity to manage, so the Mariners do have options if they decide to let go of Wilson and go in a different direction.
It should be interesting to see what the Mariners decide to do in the coming weeks after the season ends, but it’s possible Wilson won’t be in the dugout next season.
Mariners Facing Crucial Dan Wilson Decision Amid Disappointing Season