General manager Jack Zduriencik has been fired by the Seattle Mariners, the team announced on Friday morning. Assistant GM Jeff Kingston will fill in as GM for the remainder of the season, while the organization searches for a replacement.
Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik fired
Assistant general manager Jeff Kingston will handle GM duties for rest of the season.
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
The Mariners have been reportedly "quietly" reaching out to candidates, according to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. Those candidates have included former Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd, former Angels GM Jerry DiPoto, Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine and Nationals assistant GM Doug Harris, ESPN's Jim Bowden added.
Zduriencik was brought on as the team's GM after the 2008 season and was key in signing Felix Hernandez to a seven-year, $175 million contract that runs through the 2019 season. On Aug. 26, 2014 the Mariners extended Zduriencik's contract into a multi-year deal as a result of the team's improved 2014 campaign.
Under the leadership of Zduriencik, the Mariners amassed a 505-595 record, the fifth-lowest in the majors in that span. Their best season was in 2014 when they finished third with an 87-75 record. They had three straight last-place finishes in the AL West from 2010-12 with Zduriencik at the helm.
The team released a statement regarding Zduriencik’s release shortly after announcing he had been fired by the team:
“We have reached the point when change of leadership of our baseball operations is needed for the Seattle Mariners to reach our goal of winning championships. We are very disappointed with the results this season, and are not satisfied with the current operation. The search for a permanent general manager will begin immediately, and while there is no deadline, we expect to have a new GM in place as soon as practical. We have great respect for Jack and his work ethic. He was an excellent representative of the Mariners both within the game of baseball and in the community. On behalf of the entire organization, I wish him and (his wife) Debbie all the best, and thank him for all his efforts.”
The 2015 season has not gone well for the Mariners. They are currently 59-69 and 12 games out of first place in the AL West. They wound up being sellers at the 2015 trade deadline. Picked by many to be a postseason contender, the Mariners have floundered through a poor record as a result of pitching and hitting -- or lack thereof.
In regards to offense, the Mariners have hit below the league average in just about every aspect except slugging and isolated power -- they’re just above it on those points. They have the fifth-worst defense in baseball with -32 defensive runs saved. Their pitching staff has a 4.17 FIP and a 4.31 ERA, ninth- and sixth-worst in MLB, respectively.
The Mariners started the 2015 season at No. 5 in ESPN’s Power Rankings, but that quickly dropped to 12th in the second week and continued to dive as the season wore on. Entering this week, Seattle sits at No. 23 in the rankings, a far cry from where they started out at.
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