New Seattle Mariners manager Jason Kanzler took a playful jab at the Houston Astros during his introductory press conference Wednesday, referencing his former employer without naming the club.

Kanzler spoke at T-Mobile Park one day after the Mariners announced his hiring. The remark concerned his previous visits to Seattle as an opposing coach with the Astros, giving his introduction an immediate connection to the American League West rivalry.

His Houston background also connected him to another candidate in the search. Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto selected Kanzler over former Astros manager Joe Espada. Both worked under Dusty Baker during Houston’s 2022 championship season.

The exchange was lighthearted, with MLB Network using a laughing emoji when sharing the footage Wednesday on X, formerly Twitter. The network highlighted Kanzler’s description of the division rival during his first news conference as Seattle’s manager.

“I fondly remember coming here when I was with the the team that shall not be named”

New Mariners manager Jason Kanzler refers to the Astros as "the team that shall not be named" during his introductory press conference 😂 pic.twitter.com/8SzpF4XHzo

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 4, 2026

Houston promoted Kanzler from minor league hitting coordinator to its major league coaching staff in 2022. He became assistant hitting coach the following season before the Chicago Cubs hired him in January 2024.

His most recent position was Chicago’s director of player development. He has never managed at either the major league or minor league level.

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At 36, Kanzler becomes the youngest full-time manager in Mariners history and the franchise’s 22nd manager overall. Among current MLB managers, only Washington Nationals manager Blake Butera, 34, is younger.

Kanzler replaces Dan Wilson after Seattle finished 76-86 and missed the postseason in 2026. That result followed a 2025 run in which the Mariners came within eight outs of their first World Series appearance.

The Mariners remain the only active MLB franchise that has never reached the Fall Classic. Kanzler now takes over a club seeking a return to postseason contention in 2027 after that disappointment.