Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson opted to celebrate the new NFL season by proving that, despite being a former All-Star catcher, he’s also an incredible punter.
There were no sky kicks needed at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento on Friday night for Wilson to prove his point. Rather than bring in veteran closer Andrés Muñoz to preserve a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the 10th inning, Wilson stuck with the struggling Eduard Bazardo, who’d allowed seven runs in his last 1.2 innings.
If things worked as Wilson had hoped, we wouldn’t be writing this story. Bazardo gave up a two-run, walk-off home run to Donovan Walton on his third pitch, and the Mariners dropped to 69-79 and six games back in the AL West.
Wilson rationalized his decision by noting that Muñoz had pitched the previous two nights. Never mind the fact that Seattle’s elimination number now sits in the single digits with 14 games left.
The Seattle Mariners cannot justify bringing manager Dan Wilson back for the 2027 season
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because Wilson mismanaged his bullpen during last year’s ALCS and infamously refused to use Muñoz early in Game 7. Do you remember who gave up the series-winning home run to George Springer? Bazardo.
We cannot put things any simpler than this: The Mariners are fighting for their lives, and their manager once again chose not to put a superior option on the mound.
Muñoz’s workload in recent days shouldn’t matter when the Mariners are still trying to reach the playoffs. They’re not asking him to go out and throw 90 pitches. And if Wilson really didn’t want to use Muñoz, why bother having Bazardo close the game out when he’s been atrocious of late?
What’s especially galling is that Wilson should know better, largely because he played for Lou Piniella. For the younger readers, Piniella won two championships with the “Bronx Zoo” Yankees in 1977 and 1978, and he saw teammates Sparky Lyle and Goose Gossage repeatedly close out games on short rest when needed.
Yes, we live in a far different era, and the “fireman” role that Lyle occupied hasn’t existed in decades. But when the regular season ends in 15 days, how could Wilson potentially look Mariners fans in the face and praise the team’s effort when he, as the manager, seemingly had no interest in winning?
Who could the Seattle Mariners hire to replace Dan Wilson?
A few weeks back, we listed three former big-league managers — Bob Melvin, Brandon Hyde and Rocco Baldelli, as well as ex-Nationals and White Sox interim manager Miguel Cairo — as worthy replacements for Wilson. We stand by all of those suggestions, though here are a couple of other options:
- Chad Tracy, Boston Red Sox interim manager: The Red Sox haven’t committed to Tracy as their 2027 manager despite their incredible turnaround. Seattle should have its eyes on the longtime Triple-A skipper if he’s available.
- Gabe Kapler, Miami Marlins general manager: We recently suggested the Diamondbacks pursue Kapler, who previously managed the Phillies and Giants. Although this sounds like a significant downgrade in jobs, keep in mind that Peter Bendix seemingly has the final say on all baseball moves in Miami.
- Shelley Duncan, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders manager: The son of longtime MLB pitching coach Dave Duncan, Shelley has been a successful minor-league manager in both the Diamondbacks' and Yankees’ farm systems. He recently recorded his 500th victory, and the Railriders (the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate) are closing in on an International League East Division crown. He played seven seasons for the Yankees, Indians, and Rays from 2007-13.
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