Thursday, 22 August 2024

Report: Mariners fire manager Scott Servais amid collapse in standings

The Seattle Mariners are firing their manager after a stretch of losses that could cost them a playoff spot, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Manager Scott Servais was dismissed on Thursday and replaced by former Mariners player Dan Wilson. Servais was in his ninth season and guided the Mariners to their only playoff appearance in the last 22 years when Seattle reached the ALDS in 2022. Wilson has never served as a big-league coach but has been working as a special assignment coordinator and broadcaster in Seattle since spring training.

The Mariners at one point held a 10-game lead in the AL West but enter play Thursday five games back in the division and 7.5 games out of a wild-card spot. They have lost seven of their last eight games, including a three-game sweep by the Dodgers this week.

The performance of the Mariners roster has been as polar opposite as possible this season. Their pitching staff is elite and they lead the majors in both team ERA (3.53) and starters ERA (3.32) on the backs of Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller. But their offence has been bone-dry all season, ranking 27th in runs scored (503) and 30th in team batting average (.216).

The Mariners tried to patch those holes in the lineup by acquiring Randy Arozzarena and Justin Turner at the trade deadline but so far in August the offensive numbers have remained among the worst in baseball.

Even with Servais out the Mariners, for now, remain in the playoff picture. But in the off-season they will have to negotiate new contracts with Gilbert, Kirby, Miller and Arozzarena and find players to help turn the offence around.



from Sportsnet.ca
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