In the first major signing of the 2025-2026 offseason ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports this that Naylor and the Mariners are finalizing a five-year contract. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athleticthe deal will become official once Naylor passes a physical exam. Financial details of the agreement have not yet been disclosed.
The Mariners acquired Naylor on July 24 with a pair of pitchers heading to Arizona. He had put together a solid performance for the Diamondbacks at that point, posting a .292/.360/.447 batting line over 394 plate appearances, hitting 11 home runs and 19 doubles while stealing 11 bases. Mariners first basemen had combined for a .223/.293/.376 batting line through July 24, ranking 23rd in the main class with a .668 OPS.
Josh Naylor helped transform the Seattle Mariners lineup over the past two months
Naylor changed that narrative the moment he arrived in Seattle. He thrived in the Mariners lineup, posting a .299/.341/.490 batting line with nine home runs and 10 doubles over 210 plate appearances. His 19 steals in the final two months of the season, not only led the Sailors but was more than his career best in a full season. He was the Mariners’ third most valuable player after the trade with 1.8 bWAR, behind catcher Cal Raleigh and outfielder Julio Rodriguez.
He made his presence felt in the postseason as the Mariners came agonizingly close to their first World Series appearance. Naylor had a .340/.392/.574 batting line over 51 plate appearances in October, hitting three home runs and two doubles.
That playoff run made a reunion possible. After facing financial constraints for the past two seasons, ownership had given the green light to increase the wage bill for 2026. Signing Naylor, who had been a major factor in the Mariners’ success in 2025, became a necessity.
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