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Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer
The spiraling Seattle Mariners, who have lost eight of nine games largely because of a lethargic offense, fired manager Scott Servais on Thursday, a source confirmed to ESPN amid multiple reports.
Servais briefly met with players in the wake of Wednesday’s sweep-clinching loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers and told them to use the upcoming off day as an opportunity to reset and prepare for the stretch run.
The Mariners were outscored 17-7 in a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium, failing on back-to-back nights to gain ground on the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West. On June 18, Seattle had a 10-game lead in the division, but the Mariners have since gone 20-33 to fall five games back of Houston and slide to .500 for the first time since April 24.
The Mariners have been bolstered by a dynamic rotation featuring Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller that has combined for a major league-best 3.53 ERA. But their offense has produced only .666 OPS, lower than every team except the lowly Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox.
Servais, 57, came over from the Los Angeles Angels alongside current president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander following the 2015 season, inheriting a veteran team in transition. Three consecutive playoff absences triggered a rebuild that produced budding superstar Julio Rodriguez, cornerstone catcher Cal Raleigh and most of their current rotation.
The Mariners snapped a historic 21-year playoff drought with a 90-win season in 2022 but fell short of the postseason in 2023 behind a lackluster September. Fearing a loss of revenues due to uncertainty over their regional sports network, Mariners ownership opted against an increase in payroll the following offseason, prompting the front office to attempt to fix the offense with low-cost moves that did not pan out.
Newcomers Mitch Garver (.614 OPS), Mitch Haniger (.643) and Jorge Polanco (.672) all struggled; J.P. Crawford failed to replicate his offensive surge from 2023; and Rodriguez did not perform like his superstar self.
The Mariners’ front office hoped to inject some life into their lineup by acquiring Randy Arozarena and Justin Turner before the July 30 trade deadline, and the team responded by winning six of nine games at the start of August. Then came the nine-game stretch that ultimately cost Servais his job.
The Athletic first reported that Servais would be fired.