2 Sluggers Mariners Could Target If Josh Naylor Walks

The Seattle Mariners certainly were onto something this past summer.

After a few years of having one of the best starting rotations in baseball and a limited offense, the Mariners struck gold ahead of the trade deadline by acquiring Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez. The Mariners' offense got an immediate boost thanks in part to these guys and carried that momentum all the way to Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.

The Toronto Blue Jays won to advance to the World Series and currently are one win away from winning the whole thing. But, this only proves the point further that the Mariners were on the right track this summer. Adding two sluggers in Naylor and Suárez helped this team overall and they even put up arguably a better fight against the Blue Jays than the Los Angeles Dodgers have, although the series isn't over.

Now, both are heading to free agency, though. In a perfect world, the Mariners would keep both. But, they need to make sure they keep that production in the lineup. So, here are two alternatives specifically if Naylor leaves.

The Mariners can't lose the momentum

Oct 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) celebrates with first baseman Josh Naylor (12) after hitting a home run in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game seven of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Pete Alonso - Most Recent Team: New York Mets
This one could be a pipe dream, but bear with me for a second. The Mariners have shown that they are right there. They were one game away from beating the Blue Jays and then who knows, maybe they could've had success against Los Angeles too. Alonso is a bona fide superstar and is one of the best sluggers in the game.

A lineup featuring him, Cal Raleigh, and Julio Rodríguez should be enough, even if Suárez walks. Alonso brings enough to arguably fill in for both of them in Naylor and Suárez. He's probably going to be more expensive than Naylor so then the argument is why not just bring Naylor back? They should try. This scenario is specifically if Naylor isn't in the cards. Alonso is coming off a season with 38 homers and 126 RBIs and is just 30 years old. He's the best option if Naylor isn't back.

Munetaka Murakami - Most Recent Team: Yakult Swallows
Murakami is more of an unknown than both Alonso and Naylor, but he's also younger. He's 25 years old whereas Alonso is 30 years old and Naylor is 28 years old. Murakami has significant pop with 265 homers for the Swallows since 2018, including a 56-homer season in 2022.

More MLB: Josh Naylor Raises Eyebrows With Comment On Cal Raleigh's Instagram