SEATTLE — Josh Naylor realized quickly that he wanted to spend more time in Seattle when he arrived in July.
Acquired by the Seattle Mariners in a trade during the 2025 season to help a slumping offense to a postseason run, the first baseman signed on for five more seasons on Tuesday for a reported $92.5 million. A spark plug with both his bat and his energy, Naylor didn’t spend much time considering other destinations.
“Teammates embraced me right away,” said Naylor, 28, who was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Mariners on July 24. “Fans embraced me right away, and at the end of the day, they deserve that World Series that we’re shooting for here. And I can’t thank the fans enough for supporting me as much as they do. I love them, and I hope they love me, and I just go out there and compete for them every single night.”
Naylor’s average of $18.5 million would have ranked eighth among first basemen in 2025. A career .360 hitter at Seattle’s offensively-challenged T-Mobile Park, Naylor believes Seattle has a chance to reach the World Series for the first time in what will be the franchise’s 50th season.
The Mariners lost late in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series in Toronto on Oct. 20, and will return many of the key components from a team that won the AL West with a 90-72 record.
“Obviously, we fell a little bit short,” Naylor said at a Tuesday press conference. “But, I can’t wait to run it back with them, because this city deserves it. Each of the players’ families deserves it. I can’t express how much fun I had on this team. It was unbelievable — like tears of joy kind of unbelievable.”
Naylor’s re-signing was a major priority for Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners president of baseball operations. Though the organization has a strong minor league system, there was no obvious replacement for Naylor had he left for another team in free agency.
Signing major free-agent bats has been rare for the Mariners, who are not typically among the top spending organizations. Hitters are sometimes reluctant to sign with Seattle because it can be a difficult place for some to hit. According to Baseball Savant, T-Mobile ranked last among 28 MLB parks in “ballpark factor,” which combines several key statistics. That never seemed to bother Naylor, who has said several times that he enjoys hitting in Seattle.
His success at T-Mobile made Naylor a top priority for the organization. Though it is possible that some teams might have been slow to offer a five-year deal, Dipoto did not hesitate.
“This was about as simple a decision as we can make after acquiring Josh midseason at the trade deadline,” said Dipoto, who traded away former Everett AquaSox pitchers Brandyn Garcia and Ashton Izzi to acquire Naylor. “The way he fit in our clubhouse, in the community, the way the fan base embraced him, and frankly, a lot of the magical things that he did on the baseball field.
“I can’t recall ever encountering a player with a higher baseball IQ, seeing things on the field that no one else really sees. It’s a special treat, and he can also really hit.”
Naylor became a fan favorite quickly upon his arrival because of that hitting ability, along with a penchant for showing emotion and playing the game with passion.
“I always try to talk to my inner kid in me and remind myself that it’s just a game, and I’m here to have fun, work hard, be a great teammate, and God willing, win the game,” Naylor said. “At the end of the day, knowing sometimes you’re going to lose, but it’s all about that little kid inside you.”
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