Dan Wilson steps into the role of manager for the Seattle Mariners

SEATTLE (AP) — Dan Wilson arrived in Seattle in the mid-1990s and became a beloved figured as a player for the Mariners, spending 12 seasons behind the plate as the catcher for some of the best teams in franchise history.

But now he’s stepping into a role that isn’t always beloved by the fans, taking over as the manager with 34 games left in the regular season and the team spiraling to the fringes of playoff contention in the American League.

Wilson will manage his first game Friday night when the Mariners open a series against the San Francisco Giants. The 55-year-old was chosen as the replacement for Scott Servais, who was fired on Thursday following a 1-8 road trip that dropped Seattle to 64-64 on the season and just 20-33 since the Mariners held a 10-game lead in the AL West in mid-June.

Servais was in his ninth season in Seattle, the second-longest tenure for a manager in franchise history. But it’s now Wilson’s position and his first time holding the job on a full-time basis in his career.