Mariners announce their new president of business operations

The Mariners have decided to promote from within, with Kevin Martinez taking over as the new permanent president of business operations.

After an extensive search which lasted three months, the Seattle Mariners have finally decided on who their next president of business operations will be. As announced on Friday, the role will be taken over on a permanent basis by Kevin Martinez, who has spent 34 seasons with the organisation.

The Mariners will of course be hoping Martinez does not bring any controversy or uncertainty to the position, as has been the case in recent years. Kevin Mather resigned from the position back in 2021 after remarks he made during a Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club event, while his successor Catie Griggs suddenly departed earlier this year.

In this respect, it certainly helps that Martinez has been associated with the Mariners for such a long time. This alludes to how much trust and respect there is between him and the organisation.

A decades-long association with the Mariners

Martinez first joined the Mariners in 1990, as their promotions manager. Since then he has held various positions for the organisation including, among others, vice president of marketing for 16 years and most recently senior vice president for seven years.

The timing of the decision and announcement makes sense, with the Mariners wanting Martinez to be involved for the duration of the offseason in his new position. The role had been handled on a temporary basis by Mariners chairman and managing partner John Stanton, after the departure of Griggs.

In a press release by the Mariners, Stanton explained why the club decided on Martinez. He said:

“Over the course of our search, Kevin set himself apart with his creativity, his vision and his passion for our team and our organization. I had the opportunity, along with (board member) Jeff Raikes, to talk to outstanding candidates from both outside and within our front office. Kevin emerged as the best choice from a tremendously talented group.”

From the perspective of Martinez, he essentially views the Mariners as extended family. In the same press release, he said:

“When I joined this organization 34 years ago I was a long way from Edison, New Jersey, where I grew up. But very quickly Seattle, and this team, became home to me. And it was all about the people, both at the Mariners and in this community.”

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Martinez sees the positives in Seattle

Despite the frustration surrounding the Mariners just missing the playoffs in a year when they had the best rotation in the Majors, Martinez is confident about the future in Seattle. He said:

“I believe our team is on the doorstep of our greatest moments and achievements, and my focus is working with the talented people within our organization to reach those heights on behalf of all of our fans.”

At the same time, Martinez also wants to help ensure that those same fans remain engaged and able to continue enjoying a visit to T-Mobile Park. He said:

“The fans are the heart of our organization. We have always championed initiatives that keep our game fun and affordable and I’ll continue to ensure T-Mobile Park is accessible to all.”

There is plenty the Mariners need to do, to put themselves in the best possible position to return to the playoffs in 2025 and challenge for the first World Series appearance in club history. However, if stability and familiarity is part of the equation, then promoting Martinez makes a lot of sense.

What is your number one aim for the Mariners during this offseason? More specifically, what do you believe is the most important thing to do, to get the club back into the playoffs? Let us know in the comments section below.