SEATTLE – The Mariners were transparent about their most important priority going into perhaps the most important offseason in franchise history.
And Josh Naylor made it known how much he wanted to come back.
Turns out, a reunion was that simple.
The Mariners and Naylor are in the final stages of an agreement on a five-year contract to keep the 28-year-old free-agent first baseman in Seattle, a source confirmed Sunday night.
The exact contract figures are not immediately known, but the deal will most certainly end up as the largest free-agent contract the Mariners have given to a position player in the last decade under Jerry Dipoto, the club’s president of baseball operations.
After coming just eight outs away from the first World Series in franchise history, Mariners executives made it known they wanted to keep the core of the roster together for 2026, with Naylor as their stated No. 1 priority, a middle-of-the-order presence to complement Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez.
Acquired in a July trade from Arizona, Naylor was an immediate hit with the Mariners, impressing teammates, coaches and fans alike with his baseball acumen, his intensity and his timely hitting (not to mention his shockingly effective base-stealing success).
Naylor had repeatedly talked about how much he enjoyed Seattle.
“I love playing there. It’s been super awesome,” Naylor said during the American League Championship Series in Toronto last month. “I’ve gotten so many compliments from friends who have watched me play or ex-teammates I’ve played with or even just opponents who I’m playing against, like, how awesome it is in Seattle and how cool the fan base is and how they just ride-or-die Seattle, and it’s super awesome to be a part of.”
Mariners executives began initial discussions with Naylor’s representatives from Independent Sports & Entertainment during baseball’s GM meetings in Las Vegas last week. The framework of a deal came together on Friday, a source said, and negotiations reached the final stages Sunday evening.
The deal will be finalized when Naylor completes a standard physical exam. That’s expected to take place in the next few days.
Until now, a two-year, $24-million deal for Mitch Garver, signed in December 2023, was the largest financial commitment the Mariners had given to a free-agent hitter during Dipoto’s decade in charge of baseball operations.
Naylor’s five-year deal marks the longest contract the Mariners have given to a free-agent hitter since signing Robinson Cano for $240 million over 10 years in December 2013.
The free-agent market for first baseman hasn’t been particularly strong in recent years.
Pete Alonso signed a two-year, $54 million deal to return to the New York Mets last winter (and exercised his opt-out clause entering his offseason), not long after Christian Walker signed a three-year, $60-million deal with the Houston Astros.
That the Mariners were willing to go to a fifth year for Naylor speaks to just how well the hulking first baseman fit in Seattle during his initial three-month cameo to close out the 2025 season.
What’s especially notable, Naylor hit well at T-Mobile Park, the most pitcher-friendly ballpark in baseball, and a place many new Mariners hitters struggled mightily.
Naylor was the exception, posting a .360/.408/.607 slash line (1.015 OPS) with five homers and seven doubles in 100 plate appearances at T-Mobile Park after the July trade.
“We didn’t quite know what we would get in the big picture with ‘Naylz.’ We knew we were getting a hardcore player who was going to go out and drive,” Dipoto said in late October. “He played with a grit and a fire that we really wanted. Couldn’t have been more impressed with everything he brings to the table. The leadership, just a quality human being. He’s got the snarl on the field, but he is a wonderful guy. Incredibly smart, high baseball IQ, good teammate. Hits just about every box and couldn’t have performed any better for us from start to finish.”
In 54 regular-season games with Seattle, Naylor posted a .299/.341/.490 slash line (.831 OPS) with 10 doubles, nine homers, 33 RBI, 19 stolen bases, 11 walks and 34 strikeouts. He was also 19-for-19 in stolen-base attempts with the Mariners — and 30 for 32 overall during the regular season — a stunning figure for a player who clocked one of the slowest sprint speeds in all of baseball.
In 12 postseason games, he posted a .340/.392/.574 slash line (.966 OPS) with 16 hits, including three homers.
Late in the 2025 season, and into the playoffs, Naylor played through an ailing shoulder and a sore groin.
“Naylz is as tough as they come,” M’s manager Dan Wilson said during the playoffs. “ … He’s all about the team. He’s all about winning. He’s all about doing what it takes.”