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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Los Angeles Dodgers special assistant Rocco Baldelli has withdrawn from the search for a new Seattle Mariners manager, according to a report from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.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
J.P. Crawford Reinstated from 10-Day Injured List on Tuesday
The Seattle Mariners reinstated infielder J.P. Crawford (wrist) from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday, optioning infielder Leo Rivas to Triple-A Tacoma as the corresponding move. Crawford had been sidelined since late July due to left wrist inflammation. Across 364 plate appearances on the year, the 31-year-old is hitting .212/.330/.345 with 10 home runs, 30 RBI, 38 runs scored, and one stolen base. Crawford's 6.4% barrel rate and 35.3% hard-hit rate are both subpar, but his stellar 13.7% walk rate provides him with a relatively stable floor at the plate. With Mariners infielders Brendan Donovan (concussion) and Colt Emerson (wrist) both on the injured list, Crawford should also be in line for everyday playing time on the left side of the infield. He's starting at third base and batting eighth on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Colt Emerson to Have Season-Ending Wrist Surgery on Wednesday
Seattle Mariners rookie infielder Colt Emerson (wrist) is scheduled to have season-ending wrist surgery on Wednesday, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. There was a lot of excitement around Emerson, one of the team's top overall prospects, making his major-league debut in 2026, but it did not last long. The 21-year-old left-handed-hitting infielder struggled with big-league pitching in his first 69 games and 241 plate appearances, slashing .190/.246/.335 with a .581 OPS, eight home runs, six doubles, a triple, 23 RBI, 24 runs scored, three stolen bases, 15 walks, and 83 strikeouts. It was not what Emerson, his fantasy managers, or the Mariners expected, but the good news is that the young infielder is expected to be ready for the start of spring training early in 2027. Barring a setback with his wrist injury, Emerson is still in line as the club's starting shortstop over the long term, so fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues should be looking to buy low on the shortstop prospect this winter. Brock Rodden is starting at the 6 on Monday for the M's, but veteran J.P. Crawford (wrist) could come off the injured list as early as Tuesday to regain starting shortstop duties.
Source: The Seattle Times - Adam Jude
Source: The Seattle Times - Adam Jude
Michael Arroyo Emerging as Sneaky Stash Target with Clear Path to At-Bats
Seattle Mariners infield prospect Michael Arroyo is emerging as a potential late-season call-up. Arroyo began the 2026 season at the Double-A level but has since moved up to the top club. Through his first 65 games of the Double-A season, Arroyo held a .287/.364/.456 slash line with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 13 stolen bases. This production earned him a call-up to Triple-A Tacoma. Through his first 38 games with the top club, Arroyo has held a sharp .270/.341/.472 line with nine doubles, seven home runs, and two stolen bases. With Brendan Donovan shifting back to the injured list and Colt Emerson being demoted to Triple-A, Arroyo does have a path to emerge as a potential option for the Mariners as they look to claim a spot in the postseason.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Brendan Donovan Goes on Concussion Injured List
Seattle Mariners infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan (concussion) was placed on the 7-day concussion Injured List, retroactive to August 22. This comes a day after Donovan was hit in the head while in the batting cage before Saturday's game. He'll now be sidelined for at least the next week while he goes through the league's concussion protocols. In a corresponding move, third baseman Patrick Wisdom was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma to replace Donovan on the roster. Weston Wilson will operate at third base during Sunday's game against the Chicago Cubs.
Source: Mariners PR
Source: Mariners PR
Mariners Send Rookie Colt Emerson to Triple-A
The Seattle Mariners sent struggling rookie infielder Colt Emerson to Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday, according to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times. The top prospect and former first-rounder in 2023 made his MLB debut on May 17, but he did not live up to his high expectations this year, slashing .190/.246/.335 with a .581 OPS, eight home runs, 23 RBI, 24 runs scored, three stolen bases, a 34.4% strikeout rate, and a 6.2% walk rate in his first 68 games across 241 plate appearances. There's still time for Emerson to return to the big-league level before the end of the season at the end of September, but for now, he'll head back to the farm to work on his swing and make more contact at the plate. With J.P. Crawford (wrist) still on the injured list, Leo Rivas is the most likely candidate to see a boost in playing time at the 6 in Seattle with Emerson being sent down. Emerson is rostered in under 10% of Yahoo leagues and is not a must-hold in deep single-year fantasy leagues.
Source: The Seattle Times - Ryan Divish
Source: The Seattle Times - Ryan Divish
Colt Emerson is Droppable Amidst Second-Half Slump
Since making his MLB debut on May 17, Seattle Mariners infielder Colt Emerson is hitting .190/.246/.335 with eight home runs, 23 RBI, 24 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 241 plate appearances. The 21-year-old got off to a respectable start, hitting .218 with seven home runs and 19 RBI across his first 132 plate appearances. However, Emerson has struggled since the start of July, hitting just .157 with one home run over his last 109 trips to the plate. Emerson is widely viewed as one of the top young prospects in baseball, but his underlying metrics suggest he may not quite be ready for the big leagues. He's struck out in 34.4% of his plate appearances while also logging well below-average barrel (5.0%) and hard-hit (31.2%) rates. Emerson's future outlook remains bright, but redraft managers should feel comfortable dropping him amidst his current struggles.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Brendan Donovan Activated on Tuesday
Seattle Mariners utility man Brendan Donovan (groin) was activated from the injured list on Tuesday, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. Donovan started at third base and batted seventh in his first game back against the Detroit Tigers. The 29-year-old has missed most of the 2026 season due to groin injuries. After initial hitting the injured list in mid-April, Donovan returned in early May before promptly going back on the IL in mid-May. Across 101 plate appearances on the year, Donovan is hitting .274/.386/.452 with three home runs, eight RBI, and nine runs scored. The lefty swinger is unlikely to provide much pop or speed, but he's an above-average source of batting average whose ability to get on base should keep him in the lineup and help him rack up counting stats. In deeper leagues Donovan is worth targeting on the waiver wire as quality roster depth.
Source: MLB.com - Daniel Kramer
Source: MLB.com - Daniel Kramer
Brendan Donovan Moving his Rehab Assignment to Triple-A
Seattle Mariners infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan (groin) is moving his minor-league rehab assignment to Triple-A Tacoma on Friday night, according to Shannon Drayer. Donovan is moving to the highest minor-league level after starting a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Wednesday. The 29-year-old German native could require a rather lengthy rehab assignment due to the fact that he's been on the shelf for almost two months with a nagging groin injury. When he's ready to return to Seattle, though, he should play regularly for the M's, most likely as the starting third baseman. Before landing on the 10-day injured list, Donovan was hitting .274/.386/.452 with a career-high .839 OPS, three home runs, eight RBI, nine runs, and a stolen base in just 25 games and 101 plate appearances in a small sample size. With limited power/speed upside, Donovan isn't terribly attractive in fantasy baseball leagues except for his contact abilities, high average, and multi-position eligibility at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield. He's currently rostered in just under half of Yahoo leagues. Barring a setback, there's no reason why Donovan shouldn't be back with the big-league squad before August.
Source: Shannon Drayer
Source: Shannon Drayer
Michael Arroyo Off to Hot Start at Triple-A, In Position for Late-Season MLB Debut
Seattle Mariners infield prospect Michael Arroyo was recently promoted to the Triple-A club and has not slowed down since moving up to the top ranks. Through his first six contests with Tacoma, the team's No. 4 prospect has held a .346/.406/.731 line with a dominant 1.137 OPS. During this stretch, Arroyo has launched two long balls and swiped two bags. He spent the majority of the first half with Double-A Arkansas, where he carried a .287/.364/.456 line with 12 doubles, 10 home runs, and 13 stolen bases. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should continue to pay close attention to his production as he has put himself firmly on the stash radar. He may only need a brief seasoning at this level before being given the green light to join the Mariners for the final stretch.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Brendan Donovan Begins Rehab Assignment on Wednesday Night
Seattle Mariners infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan (groin) began a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League on Wednesday, per Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710. Donovan has been sidelined since mid-May by a groin injury, so he could need several games' worth of minor league plate appearances before he's ready to return to the big leagues. Still, Donovan will likely be back with the Mariners sooner rather than later. The 29-year-old got off to a solid start to his first season in Seattle before the injury, hitting .274/.386/.452 with three home runs, eight RBI, nine runs scored, and one stolen base across 101 plate appearances. Donovan appeared exclusively at third base and was mostly deployed in the leadoff spot to open the year. Seattle has since promoted top prospect Colt Emerson to play shortstop and moved veteran infielder J.P. Crawford to third base. However, Donovan's ability to play multiple spots on the diamond should keep him in the Mariners lineup regularly upon his return.
Source: Seattle Sports 710 - Shannon Drayer
Source: Seattle Sports 710 - Shannon Drayer
Mariners Draft Third Baseman Ace Reese at No. 24 Overall in the First Round
The Seattle Mariners selected Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese with the 24th overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft on Saturday, according to MLB.com. Reese was listed as the No. 18 overall prospect coming into this year's draft, so he slipped a little bit to the bottom of the first round, most likely because of his defensive deficiencies at the hot corner. The 21-year-old from Texas impressed with the bat in 2026 at Mississippi State, though, slashing .336/.432/.721 with a 1.152 OPS, 24 home runs, 74 RBI, 73 runs scored, and a stolen base in 62 games and 292 plate appearances in his junior season. Reese hits from the left side, and power is his calling card at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds. After he transferred from the University of Houston following his freshman season, Reese really showed his pop, clubbing 45 long balls in 119 games in the last two years. He has power to all fields and clearly has 30-homer upside at the next level, but his aggressiveness at the plate could become an issue as he climbs the ladder in the Mariners' system. And if Reese struggles to hit, he'll have less room for error without much to fall back on defensively. He profiles as a first baseman/designated hitter type as a pro.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
