Jerry Dipoto is set to return as the Seattle Mariners’ president of baseball operations for the 2025 season, despite the team’s struggles to secure a playoff berth this year, according to The Seattle Times.
After a challenging stretch in which the Mariners saw a 10-game lead in the American League West slip away, the team has decided to keep Dipoto in his role. General manager Justin Hollander will also return for the 2025 season.
The Mariners’ decline began after taking the lead in the AL West on June 18, going just 27-39 over the next 66 games. Only the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies have fared worse in that period. This slump led to the firing of manager Scott Servais two weeks ago, with Dipoto explaining that the team needed a new direction. Former Mariners catcher Dan Wilson was appointed as the full-time replacement.
“This hasn’t been a great run for us over the last few months, and it was a tough decision to make, but I felt the team needed a fresh voice,” Dipoto said at the time. “Dan Wilson brings that different voice and direction we believe can help the team.”
Dipoto’s decision to change managers indicated he would be given time to see how that choice unfolds. The decision to retain him as team president reportedly came before the team’s difficult 1-8 road trip that ultimately led to Servais’ dismissal.
During Dipoto’s nine-year tenure, he has achieved several key successes, including rebuilding the Mariners’ farm system and developing a strong pitching staff. Most notably, he helped the team end a 21-year playoff drought in 2022. However, despite these accomplishments, the Mariners have made the playoffs just once under his leadership.
Dipoto’s biggest challenge has been improving the team’s offense. While he’s excelled at developing pitchers, multiple trades and signings meant to boost offensive production—such as moves for Jesse Winker, Kolten Wong, Mitch Garver, and A.J. Pollock—have fallen short.
Recognizing this issue, Dipoto acknowledged the need for a shift in how the team evaluates and develops offensive players. “Clearly, we need to change the way we approach offense and the way we communicate with our hitters,” Dipoto said. “We’ve struggled offensively this year… but we’re asking the right questions to find the answers. If we had a magic solution, we would have used it already.”
Dipoto will have at least one more opportunity this offseason to address these concerns. However, he faces rising payroll costs, including new contracts for players like Logan Gilbert, and existing large deals for Randy Arozarena, Mitch Garver, Jorge Polanco, and Mitch Haniger. Additionally, the ownership group has historically been cautious about expanding the team’s budget.
The upcoming offseason will be crucial for Dipoto and the Mariners as they look to improve and make another push for the postseason in 2025.
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