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Mariners Hiring Jason Kanzler as New Manager
The Seattle Mariners are hiring former Chicago Cubs' director of player development Jason Kanzler as their new manager, a source told Alden Gonzalez of ESPN. Houston Astros manager Joe Espada had been among the finalists to land the job in Seattle, but it will instead go to Kanzler in an unconventional move by the Mariners. Kanzler, 36, will be replacing Dan Wilson after he was fired following the team's disappointing 2026 season. Kanzler has never managed at any level, but he will be inheriting one of the league's deepest, most talented rosters. Seattle has stars in outfielder Julio Rodriguez and catcher Cal Raleigh, not to mention some of the best starting-pitching depth in baseball. Kanzler is a former outfielder who was drafted in the 20th round in 2013. He previously spent five years with the Houston Astros, serving as a major-league coach in 2022 and 2023. He was hired by the Cubs as their director of player development at the start of the 2024 campaign. Kanzler will be the third skipper to serve under general manager Jerry Dipoto, who was brought in near the end of the 2015 season.
Source: ESPN.com - Alden Gonzalez
Source: ESPN.com - Alden Gonzalez
Rocco Baldelli Withdraws From Mariners' Managerial Search
Los Angeles Dodgers special assistant Rocco Baldelli has withdrawn from the search for a new Seattle Mariners manager, according to a report from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. Rosenthal reports that Baldelli has cited "family considerations" in withdrawing his name from consideration for the Mariners' open position. Baldelli currently serves as a special assistant to the president of baseball operations with the Dodgers. He was previously the manager of the Minnesota Twins from 2019 to 2025 and was the American League Manager of the Year in 2019 and won three AL Central division titles.
Source: The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal
Source: The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal
Managerial Candidates Emerging For Mariners Job
According to The Athletic's Chandler Rome, two former members of the Houston Astros staff -- Joe Espada and Jason Kanzler -- have emerged as serious candidates in the search for a new Seattle Mariners manager. Kanzler was on the Astros' 2022 staff and is now the Cubs farm director. And The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal added that Rocco Baldelli, the Dodgers' special assistant, is also in the mix for the Mariners job. The Mariners finished 76-86 overall and in third place in the AL West behind the Houston Astros, who finished with an 81-81 record to win the division. The Astros parted ways with Espada this offseason after the team lost to the Chicago White Sox in the postseason.
Source: Chandler Rome, The Athletic
Source: Chandler Rome, The Athletic
Joe Espada Set to Interview for Mariners Manager Job
The Seattle Mariners are set to interview current Houston Astros manager Joe Espada for their managerial vacancy, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. While Espada is currently employed by Houston, Rome reports that his future with the organization is "in doubt" as his contract expires at the end of October. Espada has been the manager of the Astros since the start of the 2024 season. Houston has reached the playoffs twice under his watch, but they've failed to win a postseason game and have also seen their regular-season record get worse every year. The Mariners parted ways with former manager Dan Wilson shortly after the conclusion of the 2026 season. Seattle won just 76 games this year, but the team has plenty of returning talent. If Espada gets the Mariners job, he will be under pressure to win immediately in Seattle.
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Josh Naylor Undergoes Right-Wrist Surgery
The Seattle Mariners announced that first baseman Josh Naylor (wrist) underwent surgery on his right wrist on Saturday. Naylor is expected to be fully recovered in time for the start of 2027 Spring Training. The 29-year-old had a down year in 2026, hitting .261/.317/.350 with 10 home runs, 57 RBI, 58 runs scored, and 30 stolen bases across 650 plate appearances. Naylor's 4.4% barrel rate and 35.5% hard-hit rate were both his worst marks since the shortened 2020 season. If Naylor was battling discomfort in his wrist for a chunk of the year, it could help explain why his numbers regressed across the board. Assuming Naylor is able to make a full recovery ahead of 2027, he could be worth buying low on in fantasy drafts.
Source: Seattle Mariners
Source: Seattle Mariners
Josh Naylor Returns From Wrist Injury on Wednesday
Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (wrist) is starting at first base and is batting sixth on Wednesday against the hosting New York Yankees and right-hander Will Warren, according to MLB.com. Naylor will return to action in the Bronx after taking the day off on Tuesday with soreness in his right wrist. Fantasy managers will want to get the 29-year-old left-handed slugger back in their starting lineups on Wednesday in traditional fantasy leagues against a right-hander. Naylor has been swinging a hot bat since July 26 in a span of 13 games, going 15-for-48 (.313) with an .898 OPS, two home runs, four doubles, five RBI, four runs scored, and two stolen bases in 53 plate appearances. The Canadian native has hit just 10 home runs in his 430 at-bats in 2026, but he also has 23 stolen bases and continues to be a rare speed threat at first base for fantasy managers. Naylor has gone hitless in just one career at-bat against Warren.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Josh Naylor Out on Tuesday With Wrist Soreness
Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (wrist) is out of the team's starting lineup on Tuesday against the hosting New York Yankees in the Bronx with soreness in his right wrist, according to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times. Naylor tweaked his wrist on a swing during the homestand. Weston Wilson will make the start at first for the M's and will hit eighth against Yankees left-hander Ryan Weathers. The 29-year-old Naylor's power continues to decline (he has only 10 homers in 111 games), but he's on pace for a new career high in stolen bases after swiping 30 bags with the Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks last year. It's bad timing for Naylor to be banged up, as he's hit .312 (24-for-77) with an .831 OPS, two home runs, five doubles, six RBI, five stolen bases, and nine runs scored in 21 games and 85 plate appearances since the All-Star break in mid-July. He's gone 7-for-24 (.292) with two homers, two doubles, four RBI, two runs, and two stolen bases in the first seven games in August. The Mariners are going to need Naylor down the stretch if they want to qualify for the postseason. Naylor is slashing .263/.328/.372 overall with 42 RBI, 44 runs, and 23 stolen bases to go with his 10 homers in 430 at-bats.
Source: The Seattle Times - Ryan Divish
Source: The Seattle Times - Ryan Divish
Josh Naylor Breaks Out of Mini-Slump With Two Long Balls Against Rays
Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor broke out of a little 0-for-9 mini-slump in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park by going 3-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs to boost his season batting average to .262 and his OPS to .699. Naylor had been in a little funk offensively over his previous three games, but since the All-Star break, he has hit .311 (23-for-74) with an .830 OPS, two home runs, five doubles, six RBI, nine runs scored, and five stolen bases in 20 games and 81 plate appearances. The 29-year-old left-handed slugger hit a career-high 31 home runs in 2024 with the Cleveland Guardians before falling to 20 homers last year with Seattle and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Naylor is sitting at just 10 round-trippers this year after his two-homer game on Saturday as he continues to see a decline in the power department. He's making up for it with his speed, which is rare for a first baseman, as he currently sits with 23 steals (eight away from a new career high). He's now slashing .262/.326/.372 with a .699 OPS and is more of a threat for his wheels than his power.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Luke Raley Expected to Miss the Rest of the Season
Seattle Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said that first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (forearm) is not expected to play again this year after going on the 10-day injured list with a strained left forearm, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. Raley landed on the IL over the weekend, but he had been battling through his forearm injury for weeks. The Mariners are not ruling out surgery for the 31-year-old left-handed hitter. Raley will finish his sixth year in the big leagues (third with Seattle) in 2026 with a .225/.284/.439 slash line, a .723 OPS, 15 home runs, 39 RBI, 28 runs scored, and a stolen base in 95 games across 287 plate appearances. It's a notable loss of power for the M's lineup, but Seattle is hoping their trade-deadline acquisition of Taylor Ward will help make up for the loss of Raley. Raley will be a free agent this winter after signing a one-year, $2.05 million deal with the Mariners back in January, and it's unclear if the organization has any interest in bringing him back.
Source: The Seattle Times - Adam Jude
Source: The Seattle Times - Adam Jude
Josh Naylor's Speed Can't Hide his Power Drop
Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor has reached base in 14 straight games, and he is still running whenever the opening is there. The power, though, has barely shown up. Naylor is batting .261 with 21 steals, but he has only eight home runs and 13 doubles through 413 plate appearances. July has been even stranger: 17 hits, just two for extra bases, both doubles. His contact remains excellent, with a 12.1% strikeout rate and 18.5% whiff rate. That keeps the average playable. The contact quality is another story. Naylor's 4.6% barrel rate and 36.1% hard-hit rate are both down from last season, and even his .395 xSLG points more toward modest improvement than a real power rebound. He can still help in fantasy leagues. Just don't treat the steals as proof that the full package is coming back.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Luke Raley Returning on Thursday Against Angels
Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (forearm) is starting in right field and will bat seventh in his return to the starting lineup on Thursday against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels and right-hander Walbert Urena, according to MLB.com. Raley will return for the M's after sitting out the last three games due to soreness in his left forearm. Due to injuries and poor play recently, the 31-year-old veteran left-handed slugger is only rostered in 12% of Yahoo leagues with the first half of the 2026 season winding down. All 14 of Raley's home runs this year have come against right-handed pitching, but he's coming off a month of June that saw him hit a putrid .125 (7-for-56) with one homer, two doubles, four RBI, three runs scored, four walks, and 20 strikeouts in 19 games across 61 plate appearances. Nobody should be in a rush to throw him back into their starting lineups, especially not in DFS. Raley has never faced Urena in his career.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Luke Raley Still Out With Forearm Injury
Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (forearm) is sitting out for a third straight game due to a forearm injury in Tuesday's game against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels, per MLB.com. Weston Wilson is making the start in right field for the M's and is batting ninth against Angels right-hander Jose Soriano. Raley remains day-to-day for now, and it's unclear if his forearm injury is serious enough to land him on the 10-day injured list. The left-handed-hitting slugger has been pretty beat up of late and has hit just .125 (7-for-56) with a homer, two doubles, four RBI, three runs scored, four walks, and 20 strikeouts in 19 games played during June. Raley is now only rostered in 13% of Yahoo leagues after his tough month of June. His upside is limited in mixed fantasy leagues because he's in a platoon in Seattle's outfield against right-handed pitchers. Despite a .283 average (49-for-206) on the year, Raley does have some value for his left-handed pop (14 homers) in the right matchups when he's in the starting lineup.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Luke Raley Still Out on Monday With Forearm Injury
Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (forearm) is out of the starting nine for Monday's series opener against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels, according to MLB.com. It is the second straight start that Raley will miss due to soreness in his left forearm. Victor Robles is starting in right field again and will bat eighth against Angels right-hander Ryan Johnson. Raley should be considered day-to-day and could return to the starting lineup as early as Game 2 of the series at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday. The 31-year-old veteran left-handed slugger has interesting pop, but he lacks a ton of fantasy upside in mixed leagues because he doesn't play regularly against left-handed pitchers. In 206 at-bats this year, he's slashing .238/.302/.485 with a .788 OPS, 14 home runs, 35 RBI, 25 runs scored, and a stolen base in 73 games played. Raley has been awful in 19 games (61 plate appearances) in June, going 7-for-56 (.125) with a homer, two doubles, four RBI, three runs scored, four walks, and 20 strikeouts.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Luke Raley Sitting With Elbow Discomfort
Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (elbow) is out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the hosting Cleveland Guardians due to some elbow discomfort, according to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times. Raley tweaked his elbow on a swing on Saturday night, and it's something he has dealt with before. Outfielder Dominic Canzone is also getting Sunday off to rest his hamstring. Victor Robles will draw into the starting lineup in right field for the M's and will bat ninth against Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams. Raley played all nine innings in Saturday's 4-3 loss in Cleveland, going 0-for-3 with a walk in his four plate appearances. It doesn't sound like Raley's injury is very serious, so he could be right back in action for Monday's series opener at home against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels. Raley rarely faces left-handed pitchers, but he's hitting .243 (46-for-189) with 14 homers, 35 RBI, and 24 runs scored in 209 plate appearances versus right-handed hurlers this year, making him useful for his power from the left side in deeper leagues. He's rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The Seattle Times - Ryan Divish
Source: The Seattle Times - Ryan Divish
Josh Naylor Returns for Series Finale Against Baltimore
Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (shin, wrist) is back at first base and is batting third for the M's in their series finale on Thursday against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and right-hander Shane Baz, according to MLB.com. Naylor will return to the starting nine after sitting out the last two games with a bruised shin and wrist soreness. Fantasy managers will want to get him back into their starting lineups in traditional formats against a right-handed pitcher. The Canadian native is hitting .253 (68-for-269) with eight home runs, 32 RBI, 13 stolen bases, and 27 runs scored in his first full season in the big leagues. So far in 12 games in June, Naylor has gone 12-for-48 (.250) with three home runs, three doubles, eight RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base in 52 plate appearances. He has only faced Baz three times in his career and has one hit.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
