The Mariners and manager Dan Wilson came within a game of winning the franchise’s first American League pennant a year ago, but he is now out of a job after a bitterly disappointing 2026. Despite lofty preseason expectations and a bevy of talent, the Mariners went 76-86 and finished with the AL’s fourth-worst record. Even though their season went off the rails, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto does not expect to have trouble finding a capable replacement for Wilson.

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When discussing the Mariners’ managerial opening on Monday, Dipoto opined (via Adam Jude of the Seattle Times), “There’s not a single candidate in baseball that wouldn’t be excited to take over this job, this ballpark, this city, the talent on that roster.”

Neither Wilson nor predecessor Scott Servais, Dipoto’s other managerial pick in Seattle, had previous experience as a big league skipper. Dipoto revealed he would prefer a candidate who has managed in the majors this time, according to Jude, and called for a culture “reset.”

“We need fresh thought,” said Dipoto, who has been at the helm of the M’s baseball department since 2015. “We need something new. It could be a shift in programming. It could be a shift in messaging. It could be a shift in language.”

While Dipoto naturally didn’t name any potential candidates, he and general manager Justin Hollander are “making phone calls around the league” to find possible replacements for Wilson. The Mariners have discussed Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, who looks like one of the leading candidates, industry sources told Jude. Lovullo, whose contract is expiring, just wrapped up his 10th and potentially last season in Arizona. He has gone 750-768 with six seasons over .500, two playoff berths and an NL pennant in the desert. Although the team went a respectable 86-76 in 2026, it missed the postseason for the third straight year. With no new deal in place, Lovullo may end up in Seattle or someplace else this offseason.

Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, Dodgers special assistant Rocco Baldelli, Dodgers first base coach Chris Woodward and Rays senior advisor Brandon Hyde are a few other experienced names to watch, per Jude. As the Mariners’ bullpen coach in 2023, Vogt formed a close relationship with catcher Cal Raleigh. Vogt, his wife and their kids happen to live in Olympia, Wash., during the winter, though Jude notes he is “highly unlikely” to shake loose this offseason.

Vogt took home AL Manager of the Year honors in each of the previous two seasons and has won three straight division titles with the Guardians, meaning he is in no danger of losing his job. If Vogt is under contract for next season, hiring him would require a rare trade involving a manager. The Mariners pulled one off when they sent Lou Piniella to the Rays for outfielder Randy Winn in 2002, but a Vogt deal coming together 24 years later looks like a pipe dream for Seattle.

Baldelli had a mostly successful run from 2019-25 in Minnesota, where he won AL Manager of the Year once, went 527-505 and made three playoff appearances. The Twins canned Baldelli after stumbling to a 70-92 record last year, but before he joined the Dodgers’ front office, he expressed interest in managing again.

Woodward, who played in Seattle in 2009 and coached there from 2014-15, managed the Rangers to a 211-287 mark from 2019-22. Hyde’s Orioles recorded a 421-492 record and made the playoffs twice during his six-plus seasons at the helm. The O’s fired him after they started 15-28 in 2025. Hyde resurfaced in the Rays’ front office last winter.