Despite the Heartbreak, He’s Still Dan the Man: The Best-Managed Season in Mariners History
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Fans are frustrated, and it's easy to see why. Right now, it feels like no one would dare write a positive article about Dan Wilson while the Twitterverse is busy pointing fingers. He's been blamed for questionable bullpen decisions, sticking with struggling hitters, and making early pitching changes in the playoffs that left many scratching their heads. But despite the criticism, he is our manager: Dan the Man. In his first full season, Dan Wilson gave everything he had to this team and led the Mariners to the ALCS. That run came with a roster projected to finish just above .500, with an 84.5 win preseason over/under. The Mariners reached Game 7 of the ALCS, marking the most successful season in franchise history.
Dan as a Player
Even from nearly 30 years ago, I distinctly remember Dan Wilson’s walk-up song "Whatta Man" by Salt-N-Pepa. It was the perfect lyric for his smooth nickname “Dan the Man”. He was a consistent catcher, where he was known as a strong leader and a key player for 12 seasons. If I were to name a more modern comparable, it would be J.P. Crawford. A consistent leader, never a star but beloved by fans, the clubhouse, and the organization.
Before he ever managed a game for Seattle, Dan Wilson was the heart of the team behind the plate. He was not flashy, not loud, and not the kind of player who demanded attention. He was steady, consistent, and deeply respected by everyone who shared the field with him.
Pitchers trusted him because he cared about the details. He understood tempo, sequencing, and the emotional rhythm of a game. When a young arm lost control or the bases were loaded, Wilson was the one who kept things calm.
He played with some of the greatest players to ever wear a Mariners uniform: Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Alex Rodriguez, and Randy Johnson. He saw what it looked like to win (although never a world series), and what it looked like to fall short. He understood how much leadership mattered and how quickly momentum could turn.
Those lessons from his playing days shaped the manager he would become. He learned that patience, trust, and calm under pressure are not luxuries in baseball. They are requirements.
Dan Getting the Job
Many people were confused and questioned when Dan Wilson got the job without any real coaching or manager experience. What many people do not realize, is that Dan has been well respected within the front office as a potential manager for over a decade. When I worked in the front office as an intern in 2013, I would see Dan Wilson in and out of the front office at minimum once a week. I even shared an elevator with him on a few occasions. Internally, the front office spoke about Dan with high regard. It was clear to me back then, that Dan Wilson was in line or in consideration for one of the top roles in the Mariners organization.
When the Mariners hired Wilson as manager, it felt like a return home. He had already spent well over a decade with the organization as a mentor and catching instructor. He knew the city, the fanbase, and the unique weight of Seattle’s baseball history.
Taking over after Scott Servais meant inheriting a talented roster with a 54% win expectation. Many fans wanted a splashy hire or a fiery personality to shake things up. Instead, the Mariners chose Wilson, a quiet leader with a catcher’s mind and a calm voice. But he made splashes before the 2025 campaign, hiring his trusted friend Edgar Martinez and continuing to have Ichiro as a clubhouse presence. Moves that seemed to really spark the Mariners hitting with Jorge Polanco having a comeback season at the plate, Cal having a possible MVP season, and Julio and Randy Arozarena continuing to have yet another record breaking 20/20 season each
Dan Trusting His Players No Matter What
Wilson’s greatest strength (and possibly weakness) as a manager is his trust. He believes in his players, even when it is unpopular to do so.
When Jorge Polanco was struggling in May and June batting batting .139 and .222 in those month, many fans were done with him. His average was sinking, his at-bats were uncompetitive, and the frustration was visible. Wilson never blinked. He kept Polanco in the lineup, certain that the veteran would find his swing again.
By the end of the summer, Polanco had rediscovered his rhythm. In October, he delivered some of the biggest game winning hits of the postseason. Fans who once wanted him benched now praise his resilience, forgetting how close that faith came to being lost.
Wilson did the same with Bryce Miller. A year ago, Miller was one of the best young pitchers in baseball. This season, injuries and inconsistency left him with an ERA over five. Many thought he should not even make the playoff roster (including myself). Wilson gave him the ball anyway. Miller responded by being the Mariners most successful postseason starter giving up 4 runs across 3 postseason starts and helping the Mariners get the win in two big games during the ALCS.
He has done it with Mitch Garver too, continuing to start him against left-handed pitching despite two difficult seasons. And he has stood by Eugenio Suárez, who has looked lost for long stretches at the plate. Most managers would have benched him or buried him in the lineup. Wilson stayed loyal.
As Alex Rodriguez once said, Suárez is like Jay Buhner. He can look bad for weeks, then suddenly do real damage. Wilson seems to understand that better than anyone. His patience is not stubbornness. It is faith.
Dan’s Ups and Downs This Season
2025 AL West Race as a graph
x axis is game #
This season tested everything Wilson believes in. The Mariners endured cold stretches where it felt like they would never score again. Every night, someone questioned the lineup card or the bullpen usage.
When Wilson pulled Bryce Miller after four scoreless innings in a playoff game, fans yelled at their TVs. When he kept trusting veterans through slumps, frustration built online. When he declined to make sweeping lineup changes, people accused him of being too loyal.
But Wilson never changed. He stayed calm. He knew baseball punishes emotion and rewards steadiness. Slowly, his belief started to pay off. The hitters began to find life again. The rotation stabilized. The team started to look like itself.
By late August, the tone in Seattle had changed. The same people who wanted him gone were now praising his composure. The same media outlets that questioned his decision-making were writing about his trust and leadership.
His approach never changed, only the results did. And that is the hallmark of a real leader.
Now, as the postseason unfolds, you can see the toll on him. His eyes are heavier, his face thinner, his body language quieter. He looks exhausted, but also locked in. He looks like a man who has carried the emotional weight of the city on his shoulders.
Nobody cares more about winning than Dan Wilson.
Dan Bringing Seattle Closer Than Ever to the World Series
The irony of all this is that the Mariners were closer to the World Series than they have ever been (game 7 of ALCS). Not even the teams led by Lou Piniella, filled with future Hall of Famers like Griffey, Edgar, A-Rod, and Randy Johnson, made it this far. Despite his success in his first full season, many of us Mariners fans have felt so much heart break in the past, that we just all shout at the TV Screen to fire the manager after he places Spier or Bazardo in during high leverage situations. Who are we to question these decisions? Deep down though, we know he is a big part of why the Mariners have done so well this season and exceeded expectations. Servais got this team to be competitive and a near playoff team… Dan turned us into a championship contender.
