On Thursday, we spoke with ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney about how much pressure Seattle Mariners' front office leader Jerry Dipoto is, or is not, under as the trade deadline nears.

At 53-57, the M's have been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball this season, and one year after getting to the American League Championship Series, they are on the verge of missing the playoffs entirely.

Because of the poor nature of the American League as a whole, they are just 2.5 games back in the American League West and three games back in the wild card, but after losing six of nine, the mathematical odds and the momentum are not in their favor.

In addition to wondering about Jerry Dipoto's job security, it's also fair to wonder about manager Dan Wilson, who has steered this ship this season.

Now, I've been a general defender of Wilson all season, in part because I believe that last season's trip to the ALCS warrants less grief this season, and because I believe the player regression is the biggest issue plaguing this team, but....

I think, unfortunately, if things don't improve, the team might end up making a change. And I talked about it on the most recent 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast:

"The guy I will say is getting under pressure, I think, is Dan Wilson, and this will be the first time that I've said that.

Now, you know how I feel about this. I believe this is not Dan Wilson's fault, by and large. Did he make a wrong bullpen decision here or there in April or May? I'm sure he did. Did he let somebody pinch hit when he shouldn't have here or there? Yeah. But is that the reason the Mariners are four games under .500 and fading fast? I don't believe so.

The issue with the Mariners right now is that Cal Raleigh is struggling, that Julio Rodriguez is struggling, that Naylor isn't hitting for power, that guys are injured. Those are the issues with the Mariners.

However, if these issues continue, if the issues with the team continue to be so pronounced, then someone else is going to have to fall on the sword, and that guy might be Dan Wilson.

And if it happens, I'm going to feel bad for him, because I don't think he deserves it. Like Jerry Dipoto, I believe that last year earns you a get-out-of-jail-free card. I really do, and I know some of you disagree with that. Some of you disagree with that heavily, and that is fine.

But I operate under the assumption that if a guy takes you to the ALCS in his first full year, that he deserves a second full year.

But if this becomes so pronounced, then I think you are going to get to a spot where Dan Wilson—they're going to have a very difficult decision to make, because they're going to have to put the blame somewhere, and I don't think it's going to get put on Jerry Dipoto.

You can't put it all on 26 players. You can't get rid of 26 players. You can get rid of one manager.

I don't think it would be fair. I wouldn't want to do it. I don't think the Mariners need to do it.

But if we get 2 or 3 weeks out, if we get to mid-August and this team is 4-11 in its next 15 and just dead in the water come August 20th, yeah, we could see it happen."

Wilson took over as manager for the Mariners in August 2024 for the fired Scott Servais, and went 21-13 down the stretch. He also went 90-72 last season as the M's won the West for the first time in 24 years.

The M's will be back in action on Friday night against the Minnesota Twins at 7:10 p.m. PT.

After losing two-of-three to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the latest 'Refuse to Lose Territory' is out. You can listen here, or you can watch in the YouTube player below: