SEATTLE – Eric Wedge told the Seattle Mariners on Friday that he will not return as manager next season, saying it became obvious he did not have a future with the organization.

Wedge will manage the final three games of this season against Oakland before the Mariners begin a search for a new manager.

“It’s got to the point where it’s painfully obvious to me that I just wasn’t going to be able to move forward with this organization,” Wedge said Friday.

Wedge was brought in to replace Don Wakamatsu — who was fired during the 2010 season — because of the track record he built in Cleveland, taking the Indians through a rebuilding process and nearly leading them to the World Series. But the rebuilding never seemed to end in Seattle.

Seattle is soon to wrap up its fourth straight losing season. Wedge complained this week that he felt he was left “hanging out there” on his status for 2014.

TIGERS: Gates Brown, the former prisoner who became an outstanding pinch hitter during a 13-year major league career, all with Detroit, has died.

The 74-year-old served time for armed robbery in Ohio before starting his baseball career, played on Detroit’s 1968 team that won the World Series, and was part of another title with the Tigers in 1984 as a batting coach.

INDIANS: Former All-Star reliever Chris Perez has lost his job as closer after a string of poor performances since Aug. 1.

CARDINALS: First baseman Allen Craig was ruled out for the first part of the playoffs, but St. Louis hopes his injured left foot will allow him to play if the team makes a deep run. He has been sidelined since early September.

MARLINS: President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired after 12 years with the team, which is about to wrap up its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East.

BRAVES: Catcher Brian McCann, who left Thursday’s game with an adductor strain, is expected to be ready for the playoffs, but won’t start any of Atlanta’s final three regular-season games.