The Seattle Mariners are enjoying a breakthrough season this year, and they’re rewarding the man who helped put the team together.
The Mariners announced Friday that they have given GM Jerry Dipoto a multi-year contract extension.
“Jerry arrived here two-and-a-half years ago with a specific plan for our franchise. He has successfully executed that plan, resulting in a younger, more athletic and, most importantly, far more successful Major League team,” team president Kevin Mather said of Dipoto.
“At the same time, he has upgraded nearly every aspect of our overall baseball operation, improving systems, staff and communication in our Major League operations, our Player Development system, our Pro and Amateur scouting departments and our revamped High Performance Area.”
Dipoto was hired by the Mariners late in the 2015 season, just months after he resigned from his GM job with the AL West rival Angels. The Mariners were four games over .500 in his first two seasons combined (one winning and one losing season). This season they’ve gone 56-32, which is the fourth-best record in the league.
Moves like adding Jean Segura and Mitch Haniger have paid off in big ways for “Trader Jerry,” who is known for his penchant for making deals. His acquisitions of Mike Leake and Marco Gonzales have also bolstered the rotation.
Though the Mariners did not publicly discuss the terms of Dipoto’s contract, it was believed that his contract was close to coming to an end prior to this extension.
