The Mariners are bringing back one of the best slugging first basemen in MLB ahead of the 2026 season.
Josh Naylor agreed to a five-year contract to return to the Mariners after hitting free agency this offseason, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Sunday.
Returning to the Mariners means some stability for Naylor, who has played for three different teams over the last two seasons.
Naylor was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks after his All-Star 2024 season with the Cleveland Guardians.
The Mariners then acquired Naylor’s expiring contract from the Diamondbacks ahead of the 2025 trade deadline as part of the team’s push for the postseason.
Moving his home base to T-Mobile park, graded by Baseball Savant as the most difficult in MLB for hitters, didn’t stop Naylor from continuing to put up strong numbers in Seattle.
Naylor slashed .299/.341/.490 with nine home runs and 19 stolen bases in 54 games to help the Mariners clinch a postseason spot.
The first baseman finished the season ranked in the 91st percentile of MLB with a 13.7 percent strikeout rate, per Baseball Savant. He then batted .340 in 12 postseason games before the Mariners were eliminated from the ALCS.
Given that Naylor turned 28 in June, the Mariners will hope to see him put up similar numbers at the plate next season during his first full campaign in Seattle.
Naylor was originally drafted by the Miami Marlins in 2015 and made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres in 2019. He has recorded a career .269 batting average over seven MLB seasons.
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