The Seattle Mariners season recently came to an end with a 4-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. They remain the only franchise in Major League Baseball history to never reach the World Series.
They made such a deep run thanks in large part to some of the trade deadline acquisitions made by president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto. One of the biggest trades made by Dipoto was the deal to acquire Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks. On Thursday, Dipoto was asked about the possibility of bringing him back and gave an answer Mariners fans will appreciate hearing.
“Obviously it’s a priority, and we will take a step back from where we are before we truly assess,” Dipoto said. “We’ll communicate with the players before we say anything publicly, but you know, we’re still in grief mode and so are they. We loved every moment with those guys and with others who are pending free agents.”
Oct 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (12) hits an RBI single against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning during game seven of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Naylor hit .295/.353/.462 with 20 home runs, 92 RBI, 30 stolen bases, 3.1 Wins Above Replacement and an .816 OPS during the regular season, and he performed well during the playoffs as well.
Fortunately, Dipoto has made it a priority to try and bring him back, as the Mariners likely wouldn’t have been where they were without him. But letting him walk would be a major mistake.
The 28-year-old slugger had a career year at the plate and provided a little bit of fire in the Mariners’ clubhouse that will be tough to replace. He was an All-Star for the first time in 2024 with the Cleveland Guardians, and his numbers in 2025 were no exception.
Though still under 30, Naylor has proven himself to be a solid leader in the clubhouse, which benefitted several of Seattle’s younger players. Having that edge and leadership on the team should help the Mariners make another postseason push in 2026, assuming they do indeed bring him back.
Replacing him will be difficult as well. The Mariners likely won’t be in on players such as Alex Bregman or Pete Alonso. They’ll likely have to choose between Naylor and Eugenio Suarez.
Naylor would be the cheaper option of the two, but would be able to provide similar value and give them a clear cut first baseman for the next several years.
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