Before Game 162 against the Los Angeles Angels, Wilson held a closed-door meeting to inform players and staff.Postgame, he stepped to the podium to deliver the news publicly and face questions before front-office executives addressed reporters.Standard MLB protocol calls for front-office executives to issue a news release or hold a solo news conference while the ousted manager stays out of sight.Manager Dan Wilson of the Seattle Mariners looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park on Sept.27, 2026, in Seattle, Wash.
(Getty Images)A manager taking the microphone to announce his own dismissal is virtually unheard of in modern sports."This season has been very difficult, and of course, the results have not been what any of us have expected," Wilson said."As a result, it's concluded that today is my last day as manager of the Seattle Mariners."Wilson, a former Mariners catcher who took over as manager in August 2024, acknowledged his deep roots in the organization."I'm still processing this with my family, and it's a very difficult day," Wilson said.
"We love this city.We love this community and we appreciate the organization for what it has meant to the family since coming here as a player in '94.
We feel extremely blessed by all the opportunities we've been afforded."THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE.DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!Expectations were sky-high entering 2026.Coming off a 2025 AL West title and reaching Game 7 of the ALCS, Seattle fell just one win short of the World Series.
Instead, the club collapsed to a 76-86 third-place finish.The downward spiral was driven by offensive regression among core players, inconsistent starting pitching, a second-half bullpen collapse and some of the worst defensive metrics in Major League Baseball.Manager Dan Wilson removes pitcher George Kirby during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at T-Mobile Park on Aug.25, 2026, in Seattle, Wash.
(Gett...