Dan Wilson will not return as manager in 2027

The Mariners are changing managers after the 2026 season. Seattle president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto announced Sunday that Dan Wilson will not return as field manager in 2027, following conversations during the final week of the regular season. The club has not announced a successor.

Dipoto's official statement said the team failed to meet its own expectations and decided on a new direction. Wilson also spoke after the season finale; the Mariners' video has him discussing the decision and his time with the team. The club's release described the decision as a conclusion reached through discussions, not an announcement of a new role or immediate replacement.

The move comes only a year after Wilson led Seattle to Game 7 of the 2025 American League Championship Series. Across his managerial tenure, the Mariners say he went 187-171, a .522 winning percentage. The club identifies that as its second-best managerial mark behind Lou Piniella's .542. Wilson is the only Mariners manager to reach the postseason in his first full season. He also led a division-title team in 2025.

Seattle chairman John Stanton said he would like to keep Wilson in the organization and planned further conversations about a possible role. No role was confirmed in Sunday's announcement. That distinction matters as the team begins a manager search: Wilson's status as field manager is settled, while any continued front-office or other work remains open.

Wilson's ties to the club long predate his managerial tenure. He was Seattle's catcher from 1994 through 2005 and entered the Mariners Hall of Fame in 2012. Before being named manager on Aug. 22, 2024, he worked in player development and as a television commentator. The team will begin 2027 with a different field manager, but Sunday's statement left room for his Seattle relationship to continue in another capacity.