Dan Wilson steps into the role of manager as the struggling Mariners try to save their season
Dan Wilson will manage his first game for the Mariners on Friday night when Seattle opens a series against the San Francisco Giants
SEATTLE (AP) — Dan Wilson arrived in Seattle in the mid-1990s and became a beloved figured as a player for the Mariners, spending 12 seasons behind the plate as the catcher for some of the best teams in franchise history.
Now he’s stepping into a role that isn’t always beloved by the fans, taking over as the manager with 34 games left in the regular season and the team spiraling to the fringes of playoff contention in the American League.
“This is a good team. These guys have tremendous talent and sometimes some kind of a change in some direction can spark something,” Wilson said. “But these guys have it in them.”
Wilson was set to manage his first game on Friday night, when the Mariners open a series against the San Francisco Giants. The 55-year-old was chosen as the replacement for Scott Servais, who was fired on Thursday following a 1-8 road trip that dropped Seattle to 64-64 on the season and just 20-33 since the Mariners held a 10-game lead in the AL West in mid-June.
