Mariners reportedly interested in former Twins manager

The Seattle Mariners have interest in former American League Manager of the Year Rocco Baldelli for their vacant managerial job, according to a report The New York Post’s Jon Heyman.

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The 45-year-old Baldelli spent this past season as a special advisor to Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman following a seven-year stint as manager of the Minnesota Twins and has a strong background in defense and analytics.

During his time in Minnesota, Baldelli compiled a 527-505 record while winning three AL Central titles and making three playoffs appearances. The Twins won one playoff series over that time. They also nearly made the playoffs for a fourth time in 2024, but they lost 12 of their final 16 games in a late-season collapse that saw them go from a 3 1/2-game lead for the AL’s final wild card berth to finishing the year four games out of the playoff picture.

Baldelli was named AL Manager of the Year after his first season in 2019 when he led Minnesota to a 101-win campaign, the second most wins in franchise history and most since 1965.

Prior to being hired in Minnesota, Baldelli spent the majority his playing career and post-playing career with the Tampa Bay Rays. He was taken sixth overall in the 2000 draft by Tampa Bay and made his big league debut in 2003, finishing third in AL Rookie of the Year voting. He was with Tampa Bay through the 2008 season before a one-year stint in Boston and returned to the Rays for his final season as a player in 2010.

Baldelli’s playing career ended at just 28 years old after he dealt with multiple injuries and was diagnosed with mitochondrial channelopathy, a cellular and muscular disorder that causes severe muscle fatigue.

Baldelli stayed with the Rays and became a special assistant for baseball operations and roving minor league hitting and outfield defense instructor in 2011. He became Tampa Bay’s first base coach before the 2015 season and took over as major league field coordinator in 2017.

The Mariners are also reportedly interviewing former Houston Astros manager Joe Espada for their manager job.

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