Seattle, WA
Dipoto speaks on Seattle Mariners offseason: What we learned
Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto met with the media in a Zoom call Monday afternoon to discuss the re-signing of Jorge Polanco, and he also took questions about the Mariners’ offseason in general as the team prepares to report to spring training in the next two weeks.
Seattle Mariners Moves: Polanco, ex-Zag added; two DFA’d
The team that will reports to Arizona will look much like the team that departed T-Mobile Park following Game 162 last September, falling just shy of a playoff appearance for a second straight season. Dipoto indicated that week to the media that he didn’t anticipate much offseason movement around the team outside of finding a platoon partner for Luke Raley at first base and filling one of the open spots at second or third base.
While he wouldn’t comment on budget specifics, it was clear early on that if big moves were to be made, they would come via trade with Dipoto’s spending money in the $15-20 million range. No surprise, there was plenty of opportunity to trade with the Mariners receiving inquiries this winter on all five starting pitchers.
“We had more than a few deals that made you scratch your head and say, ‘Hey, what do you think guys?’” Dipoto said Monday. “But by and large, we just feel like the value of what the pitching staff as a whole provides us, there’s a reason why we were so good. And you know, why disrupt? We’re about our pitching. We’re going to lean into it and this is this is who we are.”
Optimistic on offense
For a second straight offseason, Dipoto listened on starting pitching but ultimately decided to not disrupt. What he saw at the end of the 2024 season with the offense perhaps made that decision easier for him. In late September, Dipoto touted improvements that showed what the Mariners’ offense could be after Dan Wilson was named manager and Edgar Martinez interim hitting coach. That belief has carried through the winter.
“We have a good offensive team and we didn’t feel like we needed to do a whole lot but to find ways to support the group that we had,” Dipoto said. “I know the offseason has been long and seemingly slow. We do feel like we made a lot of progress last year and the additions of (Randy) Arozarena, (Victor) Robles, (Donovan) Solano and a healthy Jorge Polanco, with what we think will be bounceback seasons from a couple of guys who didn’t have their best years, stand to be positives for us.”
Not liking where the trade market was taking them, Dipoto turned back to free agent Polanco, who the team had kept in contact with throughout the offseason.
“We were satisfied with where he was from a health perspective,” he said, noting the 31 year old has looked more explosive in his movements and better able to stop after such bursts. “We were excited that he was optimistic about how he felt and about returning to the Mariners. He now knows our ballpark, he knows our manager and staff, and I thought it was a real positive he chose to be here.”
Dipoto believes moving Polanco from second base to third base will be better for Polanco’s health, and a better fit for the roster overall with Dylan Moore and Ryan Bliss better at second base, and prospect Cole Young, a natural shortstop who has played quite a bit of second base, better up the middle.
The importance of the bullpen
It will be a somewhat but not dramatically different look both offensively and defensively for the Mariners in 2025. Will it be enough to compete in an AL West of teams that have also made changes? Dipoto believes that, coupled with another area where he sees improvement, it can be.
“We feel like we’re right in the mix,” he said. “I think the early projection systems feel like we’re right in the mix. A real positive for us is the expected healthy returns of (relief pitchers) Gregory Santos and Matt Brash. It’s maybe the thing that got us most in the last two months of last season was a bullpen that got tired. We pushed really hard on Andrés Muñoz and Austin Voth and Trent Thornton early (last season), and they were all pitching a lot and in very high leverage all the time. I think having guys like Santos, Brash and more time from Troy Taylor give us a lot of opportunity to improve in that area as well.”
Seattle Mariners injury updates
The Mariners could possibly start the season without Taylor, who had a strong debut as a rookie in late 2024, with Dipoto reporting the 23-year-old right-hander suffered a lat strain last week doing workouts.
“We’re going to take it easy on him when we get started,” Dipoto said. “He’s more TBD and we would expect there is at least some potential he is going to have to start the season down in Arizona (at extended spring training) as he ramps up.”
The news continues to be optimistic with Brash, who underwent Tommy John surgery last May.
“Matt’s had a great rehab,” Dipoto said. “He has really not had a roadblock to date. Our present timeline is that we should get him back somewhere around the third week of April, which is pretty exciting. Obviously, that’s tentative. It could change and obviously wouldn’t be at all shocking if he did experience some setback as he starts to ramp up to game mode, but we haven’t seen that yet.”
A healthy Brash will be a welcome sight in Peoria. Missing will be an array of new faces, although Dipoto allowed for the possibility of another move before the offseason clock ticks down.
“We’re still open if the opportunity to add exists out there,” he said, “but we feel like it’s a good team. And if this is our team going into spring training or opening day, we’re pretty excited by it.”
More on the Seattle Mariners
• Goldsmith weighs in on Seattle Mariners’ second base situation
• Which M’s prospect has best shot to hit star potential? Law weighs in
• One thing about Mariners’ reunion with Polanco gives Salk pause
• Drayer: Jorge Polanco is answer for Mariners’ infield — with question marks
• Seattle Mariners Notebook: Non-roster invitees for spring training set
Seattle, WA
Seattle Mayor Wilson names Esther Handy interim chief of staff in senior staffing shakeup
SEATTLE — Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is reshuffling her senior staff, naming Esther Handy as interim chief of staff and shifting other roles within the mayor’s office as the administration continues to refine its internal structure.
In a statement to her team, Wilson said Handy will step into the interim chief of staff role while former chief of staff Kate Brunette Kreuzer transitions into “a new special projects role within the office” and continues to oversee intergovernmental affairs work. Wilson said she is “deeply grateful to Kate,” calling her “instrumental in creating a strong internal culture” and “a key leader in launching my new administration during a fast-moving transition period.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Seattle mayor’s verbal missteps prompt national and viral attention, leadership questions
Wilson also said the mayor’s office is “centralizing our council relations under Deputy Mayor Surratt, in partnership with our council liaison Tracey Whitten.”
Wilson said she assembled a team with a mix of experience inside and outside government and that the early phase of the administration has included “learning what works well and what may need to change in order to continue to effectively move forward on our key priorities.” According to Wilson, Handy will continue an ongoing process “to assess and make recommendations related to our staffing capacity and team structures.”
Wilson said Handy has more than a decade of local government experience, most recently as an executive operations manager in the mayor’s office and formerly as director of council central staff. Wilson also cited Handy’s organizational development experience, including serving as an interim executive director at Puget Sound Sage and the Washington Budget and Policy Center.
While I understand change can be unsettling,” Wilson said, “I want to assure all of you of that it is common for a new administration to refine its internal staffing roles.
Wilson also noted two additional departures planned since the beginning of her term. She said that in early July, Jen Chan, director of city operations, will complete a six-month commitment with the office and return later this summer to her deputy executive director role at the Seattle Housing Authority. Wilson said Edie Gilliss will also wrap up a six-month commitment as director of the mayor’s office operations and pipeline in early July and return to her role as government affairs and policy director with the Office of Sustainability and Environment.
Wilson said her focus remains on “expanding shelter, making our city more affordable, livable, and safe, creating irresistibly good transit, and building a more inclusive and accountable government.”
Staff shakeup comes after turbulent times in mayor’s office
The staff shakeup comes after a series of verbal missteps by Wilson that prompted national and viral attention, along with questions about her leadership.
On April 28, gunfire erupted near the Yesler Community Center during an event attended by Wilson, prompting security to escort her to safety. No injuries were reported, and police have said there is no indication the shooting was targeted.
In the days after the incident, Wilson said she was “doing great” and described the shooting outside the Yesler Community Center as “a reminder of how much work we have to do” on gun violence. When asked whether the experience changed her views on city policy, including surveillance measures, she initially declined to engage and later indicated her position had not fundamentally shifted.
Wilson later addressed the surveillance policy question on May 5. “I believe that CCTV cameras have an important role to play in our public safety system, and we also have to be very careful to make sure that our data storage and sharing practices don’t make that system vulnerable to misuse or abuse,” she said.
During another exchange with KOMO News on May 1, a junior Seattle Public Utilities staffer interrupted questioning and insisted the conversation remain focused on an event and “on topic,” suggesting a separate interview be scheduled. The moment mirrored a separate on-camera interaction in which Wilson declined to comment on Starbucks moving jobs to new corporate office space in Nashville, saying it was not the topic of her press conference.
The mayor also drew attention after she laughed aside concerns about wealthy individuals and businesses leaving the city, responding with a “bye” when she was asked during an April event at Seattle University whether she was concerned the policy could prompt wealthy residents and businesses to leave Washington state.
However, she praised major employers, including Amazon, Starbucks, Microsoft, and T-Mobile, for contributing millions of dollars toward affordable housing and homelessness programs during a May 7 event for the redevelopment of the Brighton housing community near Rainier Avenue, striking a notably collaborative tone after recent national attention surrounding her criticism of large corporations and support for new business taxes.
SEATTLE – Western Washington is staying locked into a cool and unsettled weather pattern as we head into the second half of the week.
Showers will continue to rotate through the region over the next several days as a series of weather disturbances move overhead, keeping skies mostly cloudy and temperatures running below average for mid-May.
Thursday will bring a brief break in the action before the next weak system arrives later in the day. Expect scattered showers to redevelop with plenty of cloud cover sticking around. Temperatures will remain cool, with highs near 60 degrees.
It will be cool on Thursday in Western Washington with increasing clouds and showers. (FOX 13 Seattle)
What’s next:
The weather turns a bit more active Friday as the next system swings into the Pacific Northwest. Western Washington will see widespread showers and even the possibility of a few isolated thunderstorms. While not everyone will hear thunder, a few heavier downpours and small hail can’t be ruled out if any storms manage to develop during the afternoon.
Rain showers will push through Western Washington again on Friday afternoon. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Saturday will be cool with scattered showers and another chance for isolated thunderstorms, especially near the Cascades. Afternoon highs will struggle to make it out of the 50s across many lowland Puget Sound area communities.
Mountain travelers should also be prepared for a dramatic change compared to the recent warm spell. Much colder air will filter into the Cascades this weekend, and while significant snow accumulation looks unlikely, higher elevations could still see snow showers and sharply colder conditions. Anyone planning outdoor recreation in the mountains should be ready for winter-like weather at times.
Snow levels will drop to near pass levels in the Washington Cascades Friday through Sunday. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Looking Ahead:
The pattern finally begins to improve late in the weekend and into early next week. High pressure is expected to rebuild over the northeastern Pacific, bringing a return to drier weather and some sunshine. Temperatures should gradually rebound back into the 60s by Monday and Tuesday, although the ridge may remain weak enough to allow for occasional clouds at times.
Temperatures will be cool the next three days with showers in Seattle, but next week will be drier and warmer. (FOX 13 Seattle)
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The Source: Information in this story came from the FOX 13 Seattle Weather Team and the National Weather Service.
SEATTLE – Remember that iconic Gap advertisement with the girl group dancing to “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard” that took the internet by storm in August?
What we know:
Katseye, the girl-group in the ad, are taking center stage at Climate Pledge Arena on Nov. 17, with ticket sales dropping on Thursday, May 21 and their new EP, Wild, is set to release on Aug. 14 via Hybe x Geffen Records.
The global girl group announced their WILDWORLD TOUR on Wednesday, bringing Katseye to arenas across Europe and North America this fall.
Katseye’s tour will kickoff in Dublin, Ireland on September 1, at Dublin’s 3Arena, while the North American portion of their tour launches Oct. 13 in Miami, Florida at Kaseya Center. Other honorable tour venue mentions include UBS Arena in Belmont Park, NY and Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The WILDWORLD TOUR will conclude at Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City on Nov. 27.
Keep reading for ticket information and the full tour itinerary.
Ticket Information
What’s next:
Tickets will be available beginning at the end of May. Specifically, Weverse Artist Presale tickets will be available on Wednesday, May 20 at 11:00 a.m. local time, before the Katseye.World Presale at 3:00 p.m. local time.
General onsale begins Thursday, May 21 at 3:00 p.m. local time at www.katseye.world.
Tour itinerary
KATSEYE – WILDWORLD TOUR
UK/EU
9/1 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
9/3 – London, UK – The O2
9/6 – Manchester, UK – Co-Op Live
9/9 – Paris, France – Accor Arena
9/11 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome
9/13 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena
9/15 – Antwerp, Belgium – AFAS Dome
9/17 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena
North America
10/13 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center
10/15 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
10/20 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
10/22 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
10/24 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena
10/28 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
10/30 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
11/1 – Hamilton, ON – TD Coliseum
11/3 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
11/5 – Chicago, IL – United Center
11/7 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
11/10 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
11/11 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
11/14 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
11/17 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
11/19 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
11/21 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena
11/24 – Phoenix, AZ – Mortgage Matchup Center
11/27 – Mexico City, MX – Palacio de los Deportes
2026 Festival Dates
6/5 – New York, NY – The Governors Ball Music Festival
7/30 – Saint Charles, IA – Hinterland Music Festival
8/8 – Pasadena, CA – 88rising Festival: Head In The Clouds
The Source: Information in this story came from a press release from Katseye and the katseye.world website.
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To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
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