Mariners Name Jason Kanzler as Manager
The 36-year-old, who ran the Chicago Cubs' farm system, will succeed Dan Wilson, who was let go after three seasons.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Baseball
The Seattle Mariners are set to name Jason Kanzler as manager, making him the 22nd manager in franchise history. Kanzler succeeds Dan Wilson, who was dismissed after three seasons and a 76-86 campaign.
Why it matters
The Mariners missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons after coming within one game of their first World Series berth in 2025. The change in leadership follows that near miss and a run of postseason disappointments.
Kanzler becomes the 22nd manager in Mariners history, while the club's 2025 ALCS loss to the Toronto Blue Jays came after blowing a 3-2 series lead. Terms of his contract and an official team confirmation were not included in the reporting.
The players
Jason Kanzler
Kanzler is a 36-year-old former minor league player who previously spent time in the Houston Astros organization before leading the Chicago Cubs' farm system.
Dan Wilson
Wilson was a longtime Mariners catcher who managed the club for three seasons before being dismissed after a 76-86 campaign.
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a Major League Baseball franchise that has never reached the World Series.
The details
According to reporting by The Athletic's Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal, the Mariners are set to name Kanzler, who had been serving as head of the Chicago Cubs' farm system. Kanzler, a University at Buffalo alum, was a 20th-round pick of the Minnesota Twins in the 2013 draft and played three seasons, topping out in High-A with the Fort Myers Twins in 2015.
Timeline
2013: Kanzler drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 20th round.
2015: Kanzler's playing career peaks at High-A with Fort Myers.
2025: The Mariners lose the ALCS to the Toronto Blue Jays after leading 3-2.
Three seasons: Dan Wilson manages the Mariners before being let go.
Season Trajectory
The hire comes after the Mariners came within one game of their first-ever World Series berth in 2025, only to blow a 3-2 lead to the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS. Missing the playoffs for the third time in four seasons has left the franchise searching for a new direction under its next manager.
Kanzler's arrival changes the Mariners' leadership for the coming season, which will shape lineup and rotation decisions for fantasy and in-game planning. The club's standings position remains tied to whether the new staff can push the roster back into the playoff picture.
The takeaway
Organizational changes like this one often reset expectations after a near miss, and the Mariners' next steps will show whether the 2025 run was a foundation or an outlier. Fans tracking the franchise should watch how the new staff handles the roster in the months ahead.
Further reading
For more on the franchise's recent history, see the Baseball section.
