Seattle Mariners Fire Manager Scott Servais, Name Dan Wilson as Replacement

Manager Scott Servais #9 of the Seattle Mariners reacts during the eighth inning against the Chicago White Sox at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Wash., on June 10, 2024. Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Amidst a second-half slide that has greatly diminished their MLB postseason prospects, the Seattle Mariners fired manager Scott Servais on Thursday. The move comes on an off-day for the Mariners, and Servais will be replaced by Mariners Hall of Famer Dan Wilson, beginning with Friday’s game versus the San Francisco Giants.

Jerry Dipoto, Seattle’s President of Baseball Operations, announced the move in a statement, highlighting that the team needed “a new voice” as it continues its playoff push. The Mariners (64-64) entered Thursday five games back of the surging Houston Astros for first place in the American League West. Seattle is also 7.5 games back of the third and final Wild Card spot in the American League.

“We believe that we need a new voice in the clubhouse,” Dipoto said. “Dan knows our team and has been a key member of our organization working with players at every level over the past 11 years. He is well respected within and outside of our clubhouse and we are confident he will do a great job in leading our group over the final six weeks of the season and moving forward.

“I do want to thank Scott for all his efforts here in Seattle over the past nine seasons. He has poured his passion into the team and our community and I know I speak for the entire Mariners organization in thanking him for his hard work.”

The Mariners’ high-water mark of the season came after a win on June 18, which pushed their record to 44-31. They were in first place in their division but then began a freefall, entering the All-Star break that continued afterward. The team has gone 20-33 since then, including eight different streaks where it has lost at least three games in a row. Wilson will take over a team that’s lost three in a row and eight of its last nine.

According to FanGraphs, when the Mariners were 44-31 on June 18, they had a 91.7 percent chance of making the postseason. Currently, they have just a 12.9 percent chance.

While Seattle has the lowest team ERA in the American League, offensive struggles were essential in Servais’ demise. The Mariners rank last in the AL in batting average, have the second-worst OPS, and have scored the third-fewest runs.

The team made several transactions at the MLB Trade Deadline, but most haven’t paid off. Outfielder Randy Arozarena, who was an All-Star with the Tampa Bay Rays last season, is hitting just .224 since being acquired by Seattle, while Justin Turner, who had a .724 OPS with the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this year, has just a .565 OPS in the Pacific Northwest.

The Mariners’ issues at the plate didn’t just lead to the firing of Servais—the team also let go of hitting coach Jarret DeHart. A member of the Mariners’ organization since 2018, DeHart, 29, was the youngest hitting coach in Major League Baseball. Dipoto did not name a replacement for DeHart in his statement announcing that the team was moving on from him.

This was Servais’ ninth season as Seattle’s skipper, and he leaves with an all-time record of 680–642 (.514). He made one postseason appearance but finishes with a non-losing record in six of his nine seasons in charge. Servais’ 680 victories rank as the second-most in franchise history, trailing only Lou Piniella’s 840 wins.

Servais becomes the second MLB manager to be replaced in-season, joining Pedro Grifol of the Chicago White Sox. Grifol was fired on Aug. 8 amid the White Sox’s worst record in baseball. Grady Sizemore replaced Grifol as interim manager.

12 Years Playing With Mariners

Wilson is one of the most beloved former players in Mariners history, spending 12 years with the team (1994-2005). He bridged the gaps between the 90s squads with Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez to the early 2000s teams featuring Ichiro and Bret Boone.

Wilson was a one-time All-Star, and his 10 Opening Day starts at catcher are the third-most in franchise history for any position, trailing only Griffey at centerfield and Felix Hernandez as starting pitcher.

Seattle Mariner Dan Wilson (right) jumps up after stealing home plate despite efforts to cover the base by Baltimore Oriole pitcher Mike Mussina (left) in the eighth inning in Seattle on Aug. 1, 1999. The Mariners won 3-1. Dan Levine/AFP via Getty Images

Since his playing days ended, Wilson remained affiliated with the Mariners and served as a team broadcaster from 2011 to 2013. He was also inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame in 2012. Wilson then moved to the coaching ranks for the 2014 season when he was named the franchise’s minor league coaching coordinator, serving in that role for two years, followed by two years as Seattle’s defensive coordinator. In 2018, he served as a special assistant for player development. His new role as manager will be his first managerial or coaching position with the Mariners’ Big League club.

While Wilson inherits a team going in the wrong direction, Seattle will have a relatively easy schedule over the last six weeks. Of their 34 remaining games, just 14 are versus teams with winning records, compared to 20 against teams with losing records. Among those versus losing teams, 14 will come against division rivals the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers, who the Mariners have a combined 9-3 record against this season.