“Forever the little brother” – Fans rip Mariners skipper Jason Kanzler over Astros remarks at introductory press conference

Jason Kanzler joined the Seattle Mariners after his stints with the Houston Astros and the Chicago Cubs.

By Kaushani Chatterjee · Sportskeeda

Published: Thursday, 5 November 2026 at 2:06 AM

Key Things to Know

Fans mocked new Mariners manager Jason Kanzler online after he called the Astros 'the team that shall not be named.'
Kanzler joked during his introductory press conference at T-Mobile Park alongside Mariners GM Justin Hollander.
Kanzler stated he knows Houston's secrets from his past coaching tenure in their organization.

The Story in 60 Seconds

New Seattle Mariners manager Jason Kanzler drew social media backlash from fans after referring to the Houston Astros as "the team that shall not be named" during his introductory press conference at T-Mobile Park. The 36-year-old skipper, who previously worked in Houston's organization, jokingly used the moniker alongside general manager Justin Hollander while praising the electric atmosphere of Seattle's home ballpark.

Kanzler replaces Dan Wilson after managing the Chicago Cubs' minor league system as director of player development. Addressing how Seattle plans to compete with Houston in the AL West, Kanzler noted he knows the Astros' developmental secrets and emphasized building a winning culture focused on continuous player improvement.

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