Here’s how hot each MLB manager’s seat will get in 2018
By Brad Weiss
Scott Servais, Seattle Mariners
The seat underneath Scott Servais is warming up, though he should be able to cool it down with a solid start to the season. Servais was all the rage when he took over the Mariners back in 2016, as he led the team to a stunning 86-76 record.
However, the Mariners took a major step back last season, and it was mostly due to the fact they did not have their ace healthy enough to compete. Felix Hernandez appears to be healthy coming into 2018, and James Paxton proved to be a formidable starter last season, giving Seattle two good pitchers at the top of their rotation.
Servais took over for Lloyd McClendon in October of 2016, and he has done a nice job in his first role as a manager in the Major Leagues. This offseason, the team brought back a legend in Ichiro Suzuki, and the expectation is that he will start in left field for the team.
While Ichiro is no longer the player who won Most Valuable Player awards for the team, he does bring great leadership, and work ethic to the roster. The Mariners also brought in Dee Gordon from Miami, and he will transition from second base to centerfield for the upcoming season.
The AL West is going to be tough this season, and the Mariners may find themselves in the bottom of the division with the Oakland Athletics. Servais has proven to be a solid leader, and with more talent on the roster in 2018, his seat could get very cold very fast.