The Seattle Mariners went all-in at the trade deadline, making history by uniting Cal Raleigh and Eugenio Suarez. Seattle is gearing up for a pennant race as the team attempts to chase down the Houston Astros. And while the Suarez swap made headlines, the team’s other big addition will have a major impact on the playoff push as well.
The Mariners landed Josh Naylor in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The All-Star first baseman joined Seattle ahead of the deadline as a mid-season infield upgrade. And Naylor has already impressed in his short time with his new team.
“Very smart player. He's thinking about different situations before they happen. He might run it past me and it's, ‘I'm with you on the same page and this could be the moment we can take advantage.' He's ready any time,” base running coach Eric Young Jr. said of Naylor, per Mariners reporter Shannon Drayer.
The Mariners prepare for deep postseason run
The seventh-year veteran has suddenly become very proactive on the base paths. After collecting 11 steals in 93 games with the Diamondbacks, Naylor has racked up 10 stolen bases in just 12 games with Seattle.
Naylor’s 21 total swipes after 105 games more than double any previous single-season high he’s recorded since debuting in 2019. And the 28-year-old pro realizes the importance of base running in the postseason.
As the quality of opposing pitching improves in the playoffs, runs become more difficult to come by. Being able to manufacture a run could be the difference between a championship and an early exit. The Mariners are currently 10th with 527 runs scored this season. The team is 15th in run differential. However, Seattle has the fourth-most steals in the majors with 115.
Naylor is also contributing to the offense in a more conventional way. He got his first Mariners home run in his fourth game with Seattle. Now Naylor seems to have found his power stroke with home runs in back-to-back games. On Wednesday, he got the team on the board early with a two-run bomb in the first inning. The Mariners went on to beat the White Sox 8-6.
Seattle has won five of six games since its aggressive trade deadline while the Astros have gone 2-4. The hot streak has helped close the gap in the AL West. The Mariners now trail the Astros by two games.
