The Seattle Mariners are going to look totally different in the dugout next year. Monday morning, after Dan Wilson’s long-expected run as manager wrapped up, Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander dropped the news that longtime Bench Coach Manny Acta, Infield Coach Perry Hill, Hitting Coach Kevin Seitzer, and First Base Coach Eric Young Jr. won’t be back for the 2027 season. This isn’t just a few tweaks; it’s a complete overhaul, giving any new manager a blank slate to build their own crew and philosophy.
Manny Acta’s exit is a massive one, even if it’s hard to put a finger on its full impact. The 57-year-old from the Dominican Republic was a minor leaguer way back with the Astros before he jumped into scouting and coaching, even doing a player-coach thing in the early 90s. He managed a couple of rebuilding clubs, leading the Nationals when they were just getting started and the struggling Cleveland Indians. But here in Seattle, he became our Third Base Coach on November 9, 2015. Eleven years with the organization means he was the longest-tenured coach in uniform, the only one who lasted through Dipoto’s entire time here. Perry Hill’s influence? That guy’s a legend. Everyone knows about his work developing key prospects, with J.P. Crawford and Dylan Moore even crediting Hill for huge contributions to their Gold Glove Awards during their time in Seattle.
Seitzer and Young Jr. both joined the M’s more recently. Seitzer came on board for the 2025 season, trying to get our offense to adopt a more contact-oriented, all-fields approach. But let’s be real, the 2025 club was a disappointment, striking out at a club-record 26.8% rate. And our defense this year was the worst in the league. Now, most folks in the clubhouse and around the league didn’t see that as a coaching problem; it felt more like the hand we were dealt with the players on the field. Good news for some though: the pitching and bullpen roles still seem stable. Pete Woodworth, Trent Blank, Danny Farquhar, Austin Nola, Fleming Báez, and Justin Novak might be back. Plus, after Bobby Magallanes got canned midseason as Assistant Hitting Coach, Ed Paparella stepped up to Hitting Coordinator. He, along with Senior Director of Hitting Strategy Edgar Martinez, look like they’re staying put.
So what’s next for our M’s? It’s time to find a new skipper and build a whole new staff from the ground up. This move clears the decks completely, giving the front office a chance to redefine the team’s direction for 2027 and beyond. Get ready, Emerald City, because a new era is about to kick off at T-Mobile Park!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Lookout Landing.
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