Since Kyle Seager’s retirement—some detractors may argue even before that—the Mariners have struggled to find reliable long-term solutions at first and third base. Having traded away two prospects to the Arizona Diamondbacks in return for Josh Naylor on July 24, the Mariners gain a left-handed batter who gets on base and brings power to an already home run-happy lineup. He may be a rental à la Justin Turner in 2024, but the Mariners sacrificed little by way of prospects for a bona fide upgrade to the lineup.
In addition to Justin Turner, who moved on to the Cubs following the ultimately failed experiment, the Mariners also bought low in Randy Arozarena, who was swapped for two prospects and the ever-popular player to be named later. He’s since had a breakout year, including an outstanding 12-game hot streak that earned him a bid to the 2025 All-Star Game.
With the rise of Cal Raleigh and support coming from different spots in the lineup on a regular basis, the Mariners’ otherworldly starting pitching and bullpen numbers have waned slightly. Long-term contracts for stars Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez seem to indicate the window in which general manager Jerry Dipoto expects the Mariners to be competitive is fully open. Enter Josh Naylor…and who else?