Rumors swirling concerning Mariners’ GM search

ANAHEIM, Calif. —The rumor mill is starting to churn on the Mariners’ search for a new general manager.

Former Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto and Yankees assistant general manager Billy Eppler are cited by Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com as "believed to be the finalists."

The Mariners continue to decline all comment regarding their search, although signs continue point to a decision likely being announced by mid-October, if not sooner.

Dipoto and Eppler have each been cited as possible replacements since the Mariners fired Jack Zduriencik on Aug. 28, but there are indications that other candidates remain under consideration.

Club president Kevin Mather, who is heading the search, previously interviewed Dana Brown, who is in his sixth season as a special assistant to Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos.

Interim general manager Jeff Kingston is also a candidate. He has served since Sept. 17, 2009 as an assistant general manager.

The Mariners are also believed to have at least one other candidate under consideration. One possibility is Chaim Bloom, who is Tampa Bay’s vice president for baseball operations.

Dipoto would fill Mather’s stated desire to hire an experienced general manager. He spent 3 1/2 years as the Angels’ GM before resigning July 1 after a messy in-house spat with manager Mike Sciosco.

Dipoto joined the Boston Red Sox in mid-August in an advisory role.

Eppler has never been a general manager but, in his fourth season as a Yankees assistant, he currently assists long-time GM Brian Cashman in all areas of the club’s major-league operations.

San Diego interviewed Eppler in August 2014 for its GM job before eventually hiring A.J. Preller. Eppler has linked to several GM openings over the last year.

This story was originally published September 25, 2015 at 3:24 PM with the headline "Rumors swirling concerning Mariners’ GM search."