The Seattle Mariners are attempting to return to the postseason for the second consecutive year after interim manager Dan Wilson took over as the team’s first manager for Friday’s game against the San Francisco Giants. Wilson will also have a new hitting coach, as Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the season. Rumors that Martinez would join the team began to swirl yesterday and were confirmed Friday by MLB Network’s Jon Morosi on X (formerly Twitter).

The longtime designated hitter is one of the best players in Mariners history, playing alongside a number of stars in the 1990s and 2000s. He also served as the team’s hitting coach from 2015 to 2018 before resigning. The following year, Martinez was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The appointment of Martinez is another link to the club’s glory days, as Seattle played its best baseball during the legendary slugger’s tenure in the Emerald City. Former hitting coach Jarret DeHart was fired on Thursday, as was manager Scott Servais. The team had one of the worst offenses in MLB and regularly wasted standout performances from the club’s pitching staff. Now it’s up to Wilson and Martinez to help the Mariners get back to the postseason.

Edgar Martinez enters his second term as the Mariners’ hitting coach

Martinez had to wait a long time for his induction into Cooperstown, but it was worth every second. He was one of the best hitters of his generation, playing alongside players like Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr. and Ichiro Suzuki. He is absolutely beloved in Seattle and has played various roles on the team since retiring. Just like Wilson, he is a lifelong Mariner through and through. His presence on the coaching staff could be another stabilizing presence for an offense that desperately needs new leadership.

Catcher Cal Raleigh and center fielder Julio Rodriguez have done their part, putting together solid seasons so far. Rodriguez may not reach the heights he reached in 2023 during his Rookie of the Year campaign, but he still leads the team in batting average (.260), OBP (.309) and hits with 109. Raleigh leads the team in home runs (27) and RBIs with 78. The rest of the lineup, however, must pick up the slack. This is one of the main reasons why President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto fired Servais and DeHart.

Third baseman Josh Rojas, right fielder Mitch Haniger, left fielder Luke Raley and shortstop Dylan Moore have all played over 100 games for the team, but each has a batting average under .240. The rest of the starters aren’t faring much better. Designated hitter Mitch Garver, the team’s big free agent pick this offseason, has a batting average of .165 in 98 games played. With Martinez and Wilson at the helm, the offense can hopefully rise to the level of the pitchers, and a return to the playoffs could be within reach.