Josh Naylor Signs Five-Year Deal with Seattle Mariners

2026 MLB Column: Josh Naylor Returns to the Seattle Mariner— A Franchise-Defining Move

The Mariners wasted no time making their offseason intentions clear. On Sunday, the club secured one of the most important pieces of their 2025 playoff run, signing first baseman Naylor to a five-year contract worth between $90–$100 million. The first Jeff Passan alert of the offseason confirmed what Mariners fans had been pleading for in every comment section across baseball Twitter:

Seattle got it done.

And make no mistake — this is not just a good signing. It’s a foundational one.

Why the Mariners Had to Bring Naylor Back

Since his arrival at last year’s deadline, Naylor delivered one of the most impactful stretch runs of any midseason acquisition in recent memory. He wasn’t just good — he became central to Seattle’s identity.

Regular-Season Impact After Joining Seattle

.299 average / .341 OBP / .490 SLG
9 home runs, 33 RBIs
.831 OPS
19-for-19 in stolen bases

From the moment he arrived, he was a spark plug, a grinder, and one of the league’s most versatile offensive performers.

During that period, only two players hit at least .290 with 15+ stolen bases:

Josh Naylor
Francisco Lindor, New York Mets (postseason)

That’s elite company — and elite production.

Naylor’s Postseason Explosion: The Final Proof

What truly locked him into Mariners lore was the postseason.

In 12 October games:

.340 average
3 home runs
2 stolen bases
Strikeout rate below 12%

Seattle had been searching for a hitter who doesn’t shrink in the moment. Naylor became that hitter — the anti-Mariners stereotype. His ball-in-play skills, patience, and fearlessness made him the heartbeat of a lineup that badly needed identity.

Age, Athleticism & Upside: The Contract Should Age Well

Here’s the sneaky part:

Naylor is still just 28.

That means Seattle’s five-year deal covers:

His late prime
His peak power years
His most efficient base-stealing seasons

He’s more nimble now than at any point in his career, and the Mariners unlocked a version of Naylor that many teams underestimated — a perfect blend of contact, power, and underrated athleticism.

For Seattle, this isn’t paying for past performance.

This is paying for his best baseball.

Building Around Naylor: The Bigger Mariners Blueprint

Re-signing Naylor isn’t just a feel-good move — it’s a signal.

Seattle already has:

Cal Raleigh on one of the most team-friendly contracts in baseball
Julio Rodríguez locked up for the long haul
A pitching staff built to compete for years

This is how contenders stay contenders:

You keep the guys who fit your culture, fit your ballpark, and fit your future.

And yes — Naylor became one of the most beloved trade-deadline additions in Mariners history. You won’t find many fanbases that begged harder to keep a player.

Seattle listened.

Betting Impact: How Naylor Moves Futures Markets

Naylor’s return doesn’t just make Mariners fans happy — it has concrete betting implications.

Mariners Futures (Division, Pennant, World Series)

Re-signing Naylor:

Raises Seattle’s offensive floor
Adds lineup balance behind Julio
Restores the late-game situational hitting edge they found last season

Expect sportsbooks to shorten Seattle’s AL West and AL Pennant odds in the coming weeks.

Player Props Outlook

Depending on the market:

Naylor’s HR props should reflect a full season in a ballpark he’s shown he can handle
Steal props become sneaky value — his 19-for-19 run wasn’t a fluke
Total bases overs will be a frequent target given his elite contact + gap power profile

Naylor is now a high-confidence prop option in matchups where Seattle’s offense projects well.

Final Thoughts: Mariners Fans Can Finally Exhale

This was the move Seattle had to make.

This was the player Seattle couldn’t afford to lose.

And this was the signing that keeps the Mariners firmly in the AL West and AL playoff conversation for the foreseeable future.

For months, 29 other fanbases joked, “Don’t worry, Mariners fans, we won’t take Josh Naylor from you.”

Seattle made sure nobody could.

The Mariners locked down a cornerstone — and the AL just took notice.

You can read all about what’s going on in Major League Baseball at SportsGrid.com.