Harger: Dan Wilson gave Seattle a Game 7. The Mariners should give him back a microphone
Sep 28, 2026, 7:33 AM | Updated: 3:44 pm
Manager Dan Wilson #6 of the Seattle Mariners looks on prior to the game against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park. (Photo: Olivia Vanni, Getty Images)
(Photo: Olivia Vanni, Getty Images)
What a rollercoaster yesterday.
From the low of a Seahawks loss to the bittersweet high of Rick Rizzs saying “goodbye baseball” to the low again of a shaken Dan Wilson, sitting behind a table at a press conference, confirming what the whole town saw coming: He’s out as Mariners manager.
He was emotional as he thanked everyone. The players, the staff, the fans, and the organization he’s given most of his adult life to.
Fair warning before I go any further. I host a news show, and nobody pays me to break down bullpen usage. I’m no expert. I’m a fan. I love this team. I love baseball. And I’m a fan of Dan.
Five outs from the World Series, then 76-86
Twelve months ago, this same man had the Mariners five outs from the first World Series appearance in franchise history. Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. I was screaming at the radio like everybody else.
This year, with essentially the same roster and plenty of experts picking them to win the World Series, they finished 76-86 and watched Houston take the division.
Houston. The Astros, man. It had to be the Astros.
As much as it hurts, the Mariners made the right call. Dan had never managed a single game, at any level, when they handed him the keys in August of 2024. And all season long, MLB.com was hearing from players, coaches, and people in the front office that nobody in that clubhouse was being held accountable, starting at the top.
Look, the hire made sense at the time. He knew these kids, and for one magical October it worked. But after a season like this one, something had to change.
A franchise-record payroll that ranks No. 16 out of 30
The Mariners are spending more on players than ever. Spotrac puts this year’s payroll at a franchise record, a little over $200 million. Where does that rank in baseball?
16th. Out of 30.
It’s an arms race. The Los Angeles Dodgers are spending more than double what Seattle spends. The Mariners broke their own record and still landed in the middle of the pack.
So the ask goes to John Stanton and the ownership group. They must have seen the love from the fans yesterday for Randy Arozarena, as he heads to free agency. The pitching is there. Cal Raleigh is there. We have young guys on this team who will be great. A team that came five outs from the World Series needs an experienced bat or two. Maybe ownership sees this season for what it is and opens the checkbook just a little wider.
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The next manager, and the right job for Dan Wilson
A simple fan wish for the next manager: hire someone who has run a big league clubhouse and held stars accountable. Loyalty is a nice quality in a franchise icon. But a manager has to be clear-eyed. When it’s time to pull the pitcher, you pull him. When a guy’s slumping, he sits, no matter whose feelings get hurt.
Stanton also said he wants to keep Wilson in the organization and find him the right role. I’ll save him the meeting.
Put Dan back in the broadcast booth.
Before he managed, Wilson did color on Mariners broadcasts, and he was pretty good at it. Calm, smart, with a catcher’s eye for what the pitcher was thinking. This man loves this team and has been woven into the fabric of this community since 1994. After this season, we could all use a friend on the radio.
Dan Wilson gave this town a Game 7. How about the Mariners give him a microphone back?
Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here.
