MLB free agency is officially underway. However, as is the case every year, it is the slowest-moving free agency in the major sports. Players take forever to sign, including the best and most sought-after ones. So it’s no surprise that on November 17, very little had happened despite it being weeks since the season ended. But the night before, the first big domino did officially fall with the Seattle Mariners re-signing Josh Naylor.
Josh Naylor returns to Seattle Mariners, kickstarts MLB free agency
A few smaller deals have taken place, but the first big blockbuster deal was made last night, with the Seattle Mariners bringing Josh Naylor back. It’s a five-year deal, though the reports have not yet stated how much it will cost. Given Naylor’s age and his history, it won’t be cheap. I will exceed $100 million easily, and Naylor will probably make somewhere between $25 and $30 million AAV in his new contract.
On paper, this is the move the Mariners had to make. They just made it to Game 7 of the ALCS with this core. They could’ve won if not for a faulty pitching choice late in Game 7, and seeing as how the Toronto Blue Jays nearly won the World Series, you could consider this a nearly championship-level roster in Seattle. They need to add to it a little bit, but the first priority had to be retaining the crucial players.
Naylor was that. He came over after a deadline trade, marking the second time he’d been traded since the end of 2024. The Cleveland Guardians traded him to the Arizona Diamondbacks, but since the D’Backs were sort of out of it by the deadline, they decided to part ways with the impending free agent, and the Mariners swooped in to help boost their offense.
Naylor did just that. In total, he had a 128 wRC+ in 2025 and was worth 3.1 fWAR. Despite playing in only 54 games, he had 1.8 fWAR. Had he played a season’s worth, say 150 games, in a Mariners uniform, he’d have accumulated 5 fWAR, which would’ve ranked third-best on the roster. He even hit better (137 wRC+) with the Mariners than with the Diamondbacks. Per wRC+, only Cal Raleigh and Dominic Canzone were better, so Naylor was a cornerstone to the best season in franchise history.
Plus, if they did let Naylor walk, first base would become a bit of a hole again. Someday, Cal Raleigh is likely to move there, but for now, he remains a strong catcher, so the Mariners needed a first baseman. The secondary options to Naylor weren’t all that strong. Cody Bellinger, who mostly plays outfield, was excellent, and Pete Alonso was good, but he’s older and probably a little more dependent on hitting behind a superstar. Otherwise, Naylor was easily the best option, and the Mariners know he can hit in Seattle and in their lineup. Everyone else is theoretical, so the Mariners didn’t waste time bringing the first baseman back.
The Mariners also do not have a ton of big-money contracts on the books. Raleigh is highly paid, although not at the level he played in 2025. Julio Rodriguez is, too, but since he was extended so young, it’s a fairly team-friendly deal as well. Given that, signing a player to a big contract makes sense, and the timing is perfect. To build off a fantastic season, this was a hugely necessary first step. What’s next remains to be seen, although Naylor was the biggest contributor who could’ve left. The rest of the core is still in a Mariners uniform, so they may opt to just run it back.
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