Former Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli Pulls Out of Mariners Manager Search

[Cody Christie]

Rocco Baldelli will not be the next manager of the Seattle Mariners. The former Minnesota Twins skipper has withdrawn from consideration for the position, leaving another managerial opening without one of its reported candidates.

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Baldelli removed himself from Seattle’s search because of “family considerations.” The decision comes one year after the Twins dismissed him following a disappointing 2025 campaign and raises questions about when he might return to a major league dugout.

For Twins fans, the news provides another reminder of a manager whose tenure included both considerable success and a frustrating conclusion. Baldelli is currently working as a special assistant to Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. He spent the 2026 season in that front office after managing Minnesota for seven seasons.

Looking Back at Baldelli’s Twins Tenure

The Twins hired Baldelli before the 2019 season, and he immediately helped transform the team into a contender. Minnesota won 101 games in his first season, setting a franchise record for victories and earning Baldelli American League Manager of the Year honors.

That season established a pattern of regular-season success. Baldelli guided the Twins to three American League Central titles and three postseason appearances during his time in Minnesota. The club finished with a 527-505 regular-season record under his leadership.

His tenure also included a long-awaited postseason breakthrough. Minnesota swept the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2023 American League Wild Card Series, earning its first playoff series victory since 2002. However, the Twins could not sustain that momentum. A September collapse in 2024 cost the team another postseason opportunity, and the club finished 70-92 in 2025.

The final season became especially difficult after Minnesota dismantled much of its roster at the trade deadline. The organization traded numerous established players as it shifted its focus, leaving Baldelli to manage a depleted team through the end of the campaign. The Twins dismissed him after the season, ending a seven-year run that featured division titles, postseason disappointment and significant organizational changes.

Is Baldelli Done Managing?

Baldelli's decision to withdraw from Seattle's search does not necessarily mean he has abandoned the idea of managing again. After Minnesota dismissed him, he expressed interest in returning to a dugout while also acknowledging the importance of spending time with his family.

Taking a front-office position with the Dodgers allowed him to remain connected to baseball without immediately jumping into another demanding managerial job. His experience with Minnesota, including his emphasis on analytics, defense and communication, could still appeal to organizations seeking a new direction.

Seattle had emerged as a potential landing spot. The Mariners are looking for a replacement for Dan Wilson after finishing the 2026 season with a 76-86 record. Former Houston Astros manager Joe Espada and Chicago Cubs director of player development Jason Kanzler have also been reported as candidates.

Baldelli's withdrawal removes a recognizable name from Seattle's search, but it leaves his own baseball future open. Whether he pursues another managerial opportunity this offseason or remains with the Dodgers, his next move will be worth watching in Minnesota.

For the Twins, Baldelli's departure marked the end of an era. His latest decision offers no immediate change for the organization, but it keeps the former manager's name in the conversation as teams across baseball look for leadership ahead of 2027.

 

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[Western SD Fan]

If Baldelli spends another year or so in the Dodger organization, I could see him becoming the replacement for Dave Roberts when he decides to retire.  Baldelli seemed to do well in 2019 when he had Nelson Cruz as a player-manager with a bunch of veterans on the team.  

[tony&rodney]

1 hour ago, Western SD Fan said:

If Baldelli spends another year or so in the Dodger organization, I could see him becoming the replacement for Dave Roberts when he decides to retire.  Baldelli seemed to do well in 2019 when he had Nelson Cruz as a player-manager with a bunch of veterans on the team.  

So you really don't think much of Baldelli.

Baldelli was a little tough to judge (imo) because he had such an odd set of rosters. Baldelli was a skilled, athletic player who could run. That wasn't the collection he managed. 

[Western SD Fan]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

So you really don't think much of Baldelli.

Baldelli was a little tough to judge (imo) because he had such an odd set of rosters. Baldelli was a skilled, athletic player who could run. That wasn't the collection he managed. 

Not necessarily.  Every manager or head coach has their strengths and weaknesses.  Head coaches like Bill Parcells or John Totorella are great coaches, but wear teams out and are eventually let go when their message gets tuned out.  The same could be said for Buck Showalter.  Some coaches/managers are best at handling egos, personalities, and the media.  I would suggest Aaron Boone, Dave Roberts, and Don Mattingly are probably the best in the business at handling those things as you don't hear the sniping from players that you would expect from those large market teams, even from pressure cooker media markets like NY or LA.  That's where I think Baldelli's strengths lie.  I believe Baldelli can navigate the diverse set of egos and personalities, and his corporate-style answers are perfect for high-pressure media markets where every word is scrutinized.

I would agree on the premise that Baldelli never did manage a rebuilding team.  He was either handed a team of veterans or a continuous patchwork of puzzle pieces that never quite fit.  But there are management gaffes that showed me that he couldn't manage a team that was decent, but flawed, but an established team that knows what they need to do but needs a manager to make the difficult decisions.

1.  9/7/24 - Baldelli takes out Ober after pitching 7 SO innings in KC in a must-win game with only 83 pitches.  Duran comes in and immediately blows up essentially sealing the season.

2.  6/15/25 - SWR is pitching a gem in Houston.  Baldelli takes him out after 53 pitches.  Duran ends up blowing the lead in 9th and Sands loses the game in the 10th.  Baldelli constantly overstretched his bullpen.  The bullpen may have been a strength, but it's only a strength when used properly.

3.  I cannot find the game, but I remember it precisely.  I thought it was against the Giants.  The Giants begin with an opener and Baldelli platoons the lineup for the opener.  In the 3rd inning, when the bulk pitcher comes in, Baldelli does a line change and platoon swaps much of the lineup.  This leaves us no room to maneuver in the later innings and of course we go like a whimper.