Getting to Know Mariners Bench Coach Manny Acta

Seattle Mariners bench coach Manny Acta has been around baseball for a long time.

His playing career started in 1986 at the age of 17 as he signed as an international player with the Houston Astros. He played six seasons all in the minor leagues. In his last season as a player, he also managed the team at the single-A level for the Auburn Astros. He became manager the following year and did so in the minor leagues through 2000.

In 2002, he became the third base coach on the Montreal Expos. Acta stayed with the Expos through 2005.

The next season, he went to become the third base coach for the New York Mets under Willie Randolph, who was better known for his time with the New York Yankees as a player, coach, and manager. Acta was with the Mets for two years, then became the manager of the Washington Nationals (formerly the Montreal Expos).

Acta’s time in Washington wasn’t great; injuries haunted his tenure, especially in 2007. In his second season, the Nationals had over 100 losses. Then he was fired on July 16, 2009 by the Nationals. He was replaced by Jimmy Riggleman as interim manager. Riggleman spent time as a coach and manager with the Mariners prior to his time with the Nationals. Acta’s record with the Nationals was 158-252.

The next season, the Cleveland Indians hired Acta as manager despite his record in Washington. They must have liked what they saw. In Acta’s first year in 2010, the Indians had a record of 69-93. The second season, their record improved to 80-82 so the Indians exercised their option on Acta for the 2013 season; however, they didn’t do well in 2012 so he was fired on September 27, 2012.

After the 2012 season, he worked as an analyst for ESPN before being hired as the Mariners third base coach by new manager Scott Servais on November 9, 2015. He served as the Mariners’ third base coach for two seasons before moving to his current position as bench coach. He replaced Tim Bogar, whom the Mariners fired after two seasons. Bogar now is the first-base coach for the Washington Nationals.

During the major league off-season, Acta works for Aguilas Cibaenas of the Dominican Winter League as general manager. I am sure at some point Acta will try his hand at managing in the major leagues once again, and perhaps with the Mariners.