At least three MLB managers may be coaching for their respective jobs over the next several weeks.
Torey Lovullo (Arizona Diamondbacks), Joe Espada (Houston Astros), Dan Wilson (Seattle Mariners) are all expected to be fired if their teams miss the playoffs this year. Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reports that all three managers “likely” must qualify for the postseason in order to remain employed.
Lovullo, 61, has been the manager of the Dbacks since 2017, winning an MLB Manager of the Year Award and then leading the team to a surprise World Series berth in 2023. Arizona is still very much in the mix for a playoff spot at 66-59 (0.5 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot), but Lovullo is notably in the final year of his contract with the team.
As for Espada, 50, he took over for the Astros in 2024 after serving as a bench coach during their 2022 World Series victory. But Houston has mostly been medicore since then with zero 90-win seasons and zero playoff game victories (though they currently have a two-game lead atop the AL West at 63-61).
Finally, Wilson, 57, also took the helm for the Mariners in 2024. Last year, Wilson managed to lead Seattle to both their first division title as well as their first ALCS berth since 2001. But now, the Mariners are the furthest away from the playoffs of the above-mentioned teams at 58-66 (three games back of the final AL Wild Card spot).
There have already been several big manager firings in Major League Baseball this year. Now it looks like Arizona, Houston, and/or Seattle could be adding to the list in the coming weeks if they fail to achieve postseason baseball.
