General Manager Jerry Dipoto, Mariners Agree to Contract Extension

The Seattle Mariners announced a multiyear contract extension for general manager Jerry Dipoto on Friday.

"Jerry arrived here two-and-a-half years ago with a specific plan for our franchise," Mariners president and CEO Kevin Mather said. "He has successfully executed that plan, resulting in a younger, more athletic and, most importantly, far more successful Major League team."

He continued: "At the same time, he has upgraded nearly every aspect of our overall baseball operation, improving systems, staff and communication in our Major League operations, our Player Development system, our Pro and Amateur scouting departments and our revamped High Performance Area."

The announcement didn't come as much of a surprise around baseball: 

The Mariners hired Dipoto in September 2015, and since the start of the 2016 season, the team has gone 220-192. The team is 56-32 this campaign, just 1.5 games behind the defending champion Houston Astros (58-31) in the AL West.

The former MLB pitcher (27-24, 49 saves, 4.05 career ERA) also served as the GM for the Arizona Diamondbacks (interim, 2010) and Los Angeles Angels (2011-15).

Dipoto believes in the future of the Mariners:

"As I said when I arrived here, I believe this organization has every opportunity to be successful on a consistent basis. The combination of a supportive ownership group, great ballpark, passionate fanbase and beautiful city gives us all the tools we need to consistently compete for division titles, and division titles give us the opportunity to attain our primary goal: winning the World Series here in Seattle."

Dipoto's career as a baseball executive began in 2001 when he served as a special assistant for the Colorado Rockies (2001-02). He then worked in the Boston Red Sox's scouting department (2003-04), was Colorado's director of player personnel (2005) and Arizona's vice president of player personnel (2006-10).