Over the past couple of weeks, the Mariners’ search for a Dan Wilson replacement has heated up. A couple of names with connections to the division-rival Astros, Joe Espada and Jason Kanzler, have been at the forefront of the conversation. With rumors continuing to swirl on Tuesday morning, the LL staff Slack channel discussed their thoughts on the most recent developments. Join the discussion down in the comments! (And keep an eye out for added context in italicized parentheticals like this one -JJ).
[Or Ed. notes like this one. -KP]
Grant Bronsdon: Adam Jude makes it sound like it’s just Espada and Kanzler in the mix as the two finalists.
(Grant posted a link to a Seattle Times report from Jude in which Espada and Kanzler are described as the two finalists for the job, having been scheduled for in-person interviews with the team.)
Ryan Blake: I like Espada fine enough.
Ben Thoen: I assume his 54% winning percentages in his two seasons prior to last have been referenced. But yeah, I agree, two division titles in three years, familiarity with our rival, and Spanish-speaking are all major pluses.
Zach Mason: Two AL West titles, though.
ZAM (referencing an excerpt from the report that states the Mariners could still talk to candidates with the Rays or Brewers after the World Series): Oh, shit! That’s Daniel Vogelbach’s music!
(At the time of the discussion, Vogelbach was still over 24 hours from becoming a World Series champion with the Brewers.)
Connor Donovan: I forget who wrote it (Chandler Rome?) but I read a profile on Espada after he was let go and came away thinking that he’d be another Dan re: managing the clubhouse and we all saw how that went this past year. Would just be pretty uninspiring, in my opinion.
[Ed. note: I think this is the piece Connor is referring to; Rome also did some radio hits and podcast appearancestalking about Espada after he was let go.]
Evan James: Sure feels like they wanted Baldelli and outside of that they’ll have to settle. Shame, he was the only candidate with the native experience to communicate with Dom Canzone.
Ryan: I think Dan managed the clubhouse well and he shouldn’t have been fired, so Dan 2.0 is good with me, re: Espada.
Connor: I think the hands off approach worked fine in 2025 but this past year with guys playing hurt all the time among other things has convinced me that the team needs someone that can put their foot down a bit. I was also a bit of a Dan apologist but it clearly just wasn’t working. Besides, the minute a reliever gives up a run or a pinch hitter strikes out the usual voices will be screaming “fire Espada/Kanzler.”
Ryan (referencing the handle on Kanzler’s now-private X account): Well it’ll probably be KanzlerThinks in the end.
Evan: Agreed, it’s Kanzler. Younger than me. He also sounds like a Pokemon, which is fun.
John Trupin: Kate, your point about [Nationals manager Blake] Butera that you expanded upon in the blurb is a big question mark here. The Nats seemed to have success with a roster that is super young and had no expectations. That’s not to say Kanzler couldn’t succeed here but it’s a distinct challenge.
Ryan: Every answer I’ve seen him give is a really long nothing-burger. To lead people we need to be people then lead ourselves first. Coding hobbyist is what I used to say when I didn’t know how to code. First meeting he better be asked to speak some Spanish.
Connor:
Kate Preusser: I would read the Athletic profile of Butera linked in the piece. I didn’t know a lot about Butera and I came away pretty impressed and confident in his ability to lead despite his age. It’s a different situation for sure but I don’t think youth is necessarily a problem. I actually think some enthusiastic cringe energy might be good. I also think there’s a chance there’s a secret candidate or two not being leaked but Kramer’s report citing internal sources felt pretty deflating about that.
Ryan: Arthur suggests Espada and Kanzler might both get hired and I don’t hate sticking Kanzler as bench coach assuming we have the vet as manager.
John: Ryan, I’m sorry I think you have explained somewhat but would you mind elucidating your scammer fears comprehensively?
ZAM: We call this management move PIOTS-baiting, and it’s not a tactic we should fall for. [Ed. note 1: “PIOTS” is shorthand for “Put It On The Site” i.e. move these discussions to where people can see them; Ed. note 2: haha.]
Ryan: The few quotes I’ve seen from him have been very long, jargonny, nothingness — he talks like Dipoto. Everything I can find about him screams stereotype millenial ladder climber. I just don’t think the players will respect it. I also think forgetting to scrub socials is a big deal. That’s a massive red flag for a job that’s like 90% image/media management. Maybe he winds up being fine but this is not a good start if it is indeed the Kanzler era.
Connor: It’s one thing if his posting was like, racist or problematic in other ways but it just seemed kinda cringe more than anything. Which yeah, it’s easy to poke fun at but ultimately it doesn’t matter if he’s cringe or not; what matters is that the players buy in. Which, to be fair, is no guarantee.
Kate: I think after Wilson being an energy vortex I am ready for the opposite, even if that energy is cringe millennial-hustle culture, that at least is a vision? And I could see a room full of very Baseball Player Dudes buying into that. That being said, I am writing up some under-the-radar candidates and I want Billy Boyer in this organization like yesterday.
Ryan: That is a fair take, Kate. I don’t know, I could see them laughing in his face or being like “whoa finally my people.”
Isabelle Minasian: Let the record show I am 100% with Ryan on Kanzler who, among other things, seems like a guy who has had raw milk at least once.
ZAM: I know it’s inarticulate to discuss vibes and point to expertise rather than arguing, but I have spent 14 years as a consumer protection lawyer, and Kanzler just really tingles my grifter Spidey sense. But that doesn’t mean it’s not what will work for the players whose jerseys we buy.
ZAM: But I am also just very dispirited that our two choices are both Astros people.
Isabelle: Is he not just younger Gabe Kapler?
Isabelle (linking a 2015 piece on Kanzler by the Democrat and Chronicle, a daily newspaper in Rochester, N.Y.): The only glimmer of positivity I’ve felt towards Kanzler (and it’s still not much).
“At Buffalo, Kanzler became best friends and roommates with catcher Tom Murphy, now a prospect with the Colorado Rockies. Murphy and Kanzler became favorites of Buffalo coach Ron Torgalski.”
The discussion ended on a high note with Isabelle pointing out Kanzler’s connection to Murphy, the now-former Mariner. So, LL community, give us your thoughts! Are you satisfied with the Mariners’ managerial finalists? Do you prefer one to the other? Let us know in the comments below!
