Seattle Mariners make right move to extend brain trust

The Seattle Mariners have been one of the great surprises in baseball this season. Even if they are not ready to end their playoff drought, the Mariners have been hovering on the edges of the Wild Card race, playing far beyond expectations. They are ten games better than their Pythagorean record, a testament to their coaching and refusal to give up.

It is no surprise that the team would want to keep that group together. On Wednesday, the Mariners announced extensions for both general manager Jerry Dipoto and manager Scott Servais.

Seattle Mariners keeping brain trust together

Dipoto is also getting a promotion with his extension. He has become the first president of baseball operations in team history, a title that essentially makes it official that the front office is his responsibility.

It is occasionally fair to wonder if Dipoto has tinkered too much with his roster. The Mariners general manager is seemingly happy only if he can make a deal, even if the trade angers the locker room. However, in the end, he has completely revamped the roster and farm system, giving Seattle a bright future.

Servais has been a key part of that turnaround. He has kept the locker room from falling apart, even when Dipoto made the unpopular trade to send Kendall Graveman to the Astros. He has also gotten the most out of these players, putting a collection of castoffs in the best possible situation to succeed.

Both will now get to see their labor bear fruit. Presumably, Dipoto and Servais will remain in place to see the end of the rebuilding process, getting to watch as the Mariners make a serious run at a playoff berth. That could happen as soon as the 2022 season with the right moves.

The Seattle Mariners are keeping their brain trust in place. Both Jerry Dipoto and Scott Servais have been given extensions by ownership.