Reports suggest that the Seattle Mariners are nearing an agreement to bring back first baseman Josh Naylor with a five-year deal in free agency. According to ESPN, this could become official soon. If completed, this would stand out as the initial significant free-agent transaction of the current offseason.
Naylor, at 28 years old, is fresh off a 2025 season where he recorded a batting line of .295/.353/.462 across a total of 147 games played for both the Diamondbacks and the Mariners. Seattle brought Naylor over from Arizona before the trade deadline. Post-trade, Naylor contributed an OPS+ of 138 in 54 regular-season appearances for the Mariners as they secured the American League West title for the first time in many years. Naylor hit .417 with three long balls in the ALCS. The Mariners were defeated in seven games by the Toronto Blue Jays in that series.
During the 2024 season, Naylor received his first All-Star nod while playing for the Guardians. Throughout his career, he has tallied an OPS+ of 116 and a WAR of 8.4 over portions of seven MLB seasons.
Entering this offseason, Naylor was recognized by CBS Sports as the 23rd-best free agent available. Here’s an excerpt from R.J. Anderson’s analysis:
Being against Naylor may mean getting frustrated with his energetic, perhaps even annoying, traits. Giving him your support includes valuing his proficient hitting skill, particularly against right-handed pitchers. Naylor demonstrates an aptitude for making solid contact with the baseball, which, along with his power and tendency to pull and elevate the ball, puts him in a position to hit about 20 home runs in a year. We shall see whether his next team will grant him the same running freedom he had with the Mariners, but even if they do not, he should remain a valuable everyday option at first base.
Seattle’s goal this winter is to maintain roster consistency while remaining competitive. “The same objectives, the same goals,” commented general manager Justin Hollander to journalists during the recent GM meetings in Las Vegas. “Our main focus is, ideally, to retain as much of the group as possible from last year, since we have confidence in them. Then we will fill in the remaining roster spots as required. Our offseason strategy will mostly involve working with the players who were on the team last year and trying to re-sign as many of them as possible.”
With Naylor’s return secured, the Mariners might now shift their focus to their other significant free agents, third baseman Eugenio Suárez and infielder Jorge Polanco.
