The Seattle Mariners traded for Josh Naylor at the MLB Trade Deadline in an effort to win the World Series. Seattle fell short of doing so, falling in the ALCS to the Toronto Blue Jays. However, Naylor had a significant impact on Seattle's success. And it appears as if this impact will continue in 2026.
Naylor, now a free agent, is finalizing a new contract with the Mariners, as reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan. The veteran slugger is set to sign a five-year contract to remain in the Pacific Northwest. This makes him the top free agent domino to fall so far. And it was a high-priority move from Seattle.
“The Mariners made Josh Naylor their top priority entering the winter, and his excellence down the stretch got him a long-term deal to join Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and the Mariners’ rotation as a foundational piece. His energy was infectious. Seattle didn't want to lose it,” Passan wrote on Sunday night.
Naylor began his 2025 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks following an offseason trade with the Cleveland Guardians. He fell short of the 31 homers and 108 runs batted in he had with Cleveland in 2024. But he was still a very effective player, and one of the top bats available at the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline.
Overall, the veteran slugger slashed .295/.353/.462 with 20 homers and 92 runs batted in. He helped Seattle to its first AL West division title since 2001. And he also helped the team make its first ALCS since 2001. In the postseason, Naylor slashed .340/.392/.574 with three homers and five runs batted in across 12 games.
