Rocco Baldelli won’t be managing the Seattle Mariners. The former Minnesota Twins skipper pulled his name from consideration Sunday, citing family reasons — per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic — and suddenly Seattle’s manager search is down to just two known candidates: Joe Espada and Jason Kanzler. According to Jim Bowden, the Mariners want this done before October ends, and they just lost the most recognizable name on their board.
Seven Years in Minnesota, Now Off the Table
Baldelli first surfaced as a Seattle target on October 18, when Jon Heyman of the New York Post linked him to the vacancy left by Dan Wilson, who announced his departure before the final game of the season. His résumé was hard to argue with: a 527-505 record over seven seasons with the Twins, three AL Central division titles, and three postseason appearances. In his first year at the helm in 2019, he won the AL Manager of the Year Award after guiding Minnesota to 101 wins.
Since December 2025, Baldelli had been working as a special assistant in the Dodgers‘ front office under Andrew Friedman — a role that made him an appealing candidate, blending big-league managing experience with exposure to one of the most analytically advanced organizations in baseball. But on Sunday he decided the timing wasn’t right.
Who’s Left — and Why Espada Is the Frontrunner
Baldelli wasn’t the first name to fall off Seattle’s list. Torey Lovullo signed an extension with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Stephen Vogt publicly stated he’s staying in Cleveland. That leaves two candidates standing.
- Joe Espada managed the Houston Astros for three seasons (2024–2026), going 256-229. He fits the profile that president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto spelled out to The Spokesman-Review: «It’s not a prerequisite, but it would be preferred. We will go outside to hire our manager. We need fresh thought. We need something new.» Espada has big-league experience and brings an outside perspective — exactly what Dipoto described.
- Jason Kanzler, 36, is the Chicago Cubs’ director of player development. He was part of the Astros’ coaching staff during their 2022 World Series run, working alongside Jeremy Peña and Alex Bregman. He has a winner’s pedigree, but he has never managed at the MLB level — a real disadvantage given what Dipoto said publicly about preferring experience.
Seattle Needs to Move Fast
The Mariners finished 2026 at 76-86 (.469), third in the AL West — a sharp drop after reaching the AL Championship Series the year before. That disappointing season already cost Dan Wilson his job; now the pressure is on getting the right replacement, and getting him quickly.
Seattle hasn’t hired a manager with prior MLB experience since Lloyd McClendon in 2013. Dipoto made it clear he wanted to break that streak with this search. Baldelli’s exit complicates the timeline — especially if he was the top choice — and with the process reportedly in an «advanced stage» per The Athletic, there’s little room to add new names before the month is out. Espada and Kanzler are what’s left. Seattle has to pick.
