Mariners fire GM Jack Zduriencik

The Seattle Mariners have fired general manager Jack Zduriencik, the team announced Friday. Assistant general manager Jeff Kingston will take over for Zduriencik.

The 64-year-old took over as the general manager back in 2008, and under his reign the Mariners went 505-595. That mark is good enough for fifth worst in all of the majors.

In terms of a long-term replacement for Zdurencik, the Mariners have contacted former Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd, according to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal:

#Mariners quietly have been reaching out to candidates. Have contacted former #Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd, among others, according to sources.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 28, 2015

O'Dowd spent 15 years with Colorado from 2000-2014, leading the team to a pair of playoff appearances and a World Series berth in 2007. He resigned from the Rockies after the 2014 and has spent this season as an analyst with MLB Network.

Zduriencik received a contract extension back in the summer of 2014 based off of the team performance, but a lousy 2015 season was the final nail in the coffin. After the signings of Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz, many believed that Seattle was about to turn the corner, especially with the addition of top pitching prospect Taijuan Walker to the starting rotation.

A 59-69 record is not what fans envisioned when looking at the roster on paper, but a struggling Cano along with Fernando Rodney completely losing himself are just two of the issues that plagued the Mariners this season. There were also issues in the starting rotation, with Felix Hernandez's ERA jumping to 3.66, the highest since he was a 21-year-old in 2007 and Walker struggling with consistency in his first full season as a big leaguer.

Getting rid of Zduriencik may be exactly what the team needs to finally turn the page and get back on the track to making it to the postseason again.