Astros connections loom large as Mariners' manager search reaches final stage

There have been reports that the Seattle Mariners want to hire a new manager before the end of October, so the next few days are crucial. And into town are coming Joe Espada and Jason Kanzler, and their obvious connective tissue raises an obligatory question:

Do the Mariners want to become more like the Houston Astros?

As Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reported on Monday, the Mariners are holding in-person meetings with Espada and Kanzler at T-Mobile Park this week. Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports further reported they are "believed to be the only candidates known to be traveling to Seattle," so this could be it, folks.

Who's not coming to Seattle is arguably the more interesting story. Stephen Vogt was never really in the mix to inherit Dan Wilson's chair. Rocco Baldelli and Carlos Mendoza removed their names from consideration, and Kramer adds two more names that were in the running but are now out: Brandon Hyde and Walker McKinven.

This is a wild guess, but that it's come down to Espada and Kanzler is probably not what anyone outside the organization had in mind as the desired outcome. After Wilson's tenure devolved into disorder in 2026, the situation was crying out for a safe, can't-miss pick to succeed him. In their own way, Espada and Kanzler are both on the riskier side.

What Joe Espada, Jason Kanzler as finalists says about Mariners' manager search

That both share roots with the Astros at least makes them interesting, specifically in the sense that they crossed paths as coaches on the 2022 club that won the World Series. Obviously, Mariners fans remember the 2022 Astros well. Too well, even. Yet if there is some concept for turning that team from a bad memory into something more like a model, so be it.

The 2022 Astros were a machine that ultimately went 117-58, precisely because they gave nothing away on offense or defense. That year, Astros hitters had the second-fewest strikeouts and the fifth-highest slugging percentage. Their pitchers lead the league in FIP and had the sixth-best ERA+ for an AL team in the live-ball era. Their defenders ranked third in efficiency.

So, basically the polar opposite of what the Mariners were in 2026: a volatile, sloppy team on both sides of the ball. And it's not like those 2022 Astros were a one-off. Say what you will about the trash can Astros of 2017, but the 2022 team was pretty much the culmination of the organization's decade-long project to pursue every advantage to become a dominant force in MLB. And it worked.

The possibility of Espada or Kanzler retaining any of that magic is intriguing, and then there's the Dusty Baker factor. The Mariners just never had any vibes going in 2026. A big aspect of Baker's success as a manager was his ability to conjure vibes, and Espada and Kanzler got to see Baker work his best magic while sharing the dugout with him in 2022.

That Espada subsequently led the Astros to 88, 87 and 81 wins in three seasons after taking over for Baker is a stain on his record, yet one for which he's only so complicit. He had to work with what he was given, and the Astros lost more talent than they gained during his tenure. Whether it's with the Mariners or someone else, he deserves another shot.

Kanzler is more of an unknown based on his lack of managerial experience, but his upside is hiding in plain sight. He's earned a rep for being forward-thinking and a great communicator, which basically makes him Dan Wilson's Wario. Beyond that, any guy with ties to Dusty Baker and Craig Counsell is a guy worth being interested in. Kanzler has a connection to the latter from his last three seasons as the director of player development for the Chicago Cubs.

Maybe there's a surprise candidate to become the Mariners' next manager waiting to be revealed, but that seems doubtful at this stage. And with the lockout looming on December 1, they certainly don't want to push the search any further.

If they are indeed the only two finalists, it's OK to have doubts about Espada and Kanzler. But at least they have shared experience of having been part of basically a perfect baseball team, and the knowledge of what it took to build it.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow