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

Will the Seattle Mariners find a way to retain one of the better sluggers in their lineup this offseason?

Seattle clearly knew that it needed to add some pop and that's why the organization went out and acquired Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez this summer ahead of the trade deadline. Both were good for the Mariners and played a role in the club making it all the way to the American League Championship Series.

But, that's not all they have in common. They both are going to be free agents this offseason and it's unclear if either will be back. Naylor specifically caught the attention of Mariners fans -- and not in a good way -- on Tuesday with a comment on Cal Raleigh's Instagram that included the phrase, "God Speed!"

"My neck still hurts but it was worth it all," Naylor commented. "See you around my friend. Will always be rooting for you, God Speed!"

It's exactly that time of the year that I try to start processing what Mariners free agent comments mean 😂

Josh Naylor said this on Cal Raleigh's IG post:

'My neck still hurts but it was worth it all. See you around my friend ❤️ Will always be rooting for you, God Speed!'… pic.twitter.com/rYSuGrzrR2
— Seattle Mariners ON Tap (@MarinersONTap) October 29, 2025

Will Josh Naylor return in 2026?

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

Now, this is a comment on Instagram that we're talking about here. The World Series is still going on right now with at least two games to go as the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers are tied at two games apiece, as of writing. The business side of the game really hasn't kicked it up a notch. Naylor fit in with the Mariners well and they would be wise to bring him back. His comment doesn't point in that direction, but again, there's a long offseason ahead and free agency hasn't even fully kicked off.

But, his comment did catch Mariners' fans' attention on social media. At the end of the day, this is all just conjecture, though. Naylor was great for Seattle after coming off this season. He played in 54 games and slashed .299/.341/.490 with nine home runs, 33 RBIs, 19 stolen bases, and 10 doubles in that small sample size.

He provided some pop in the middle of the lineup right when the Mariners needed it the most. Spotrac currently is projecting Naylor to land an affordable deal worth just over $45 million across three years. We'll see how the market dictates his eventual price tag, but he's worth bringing back.

No need to worry about Instagram comments right now, the real noise won't start until after the World Series and closer to the winter.

More MLB: Mariners' Potential 1st Base Target Gets Same Contract Projection As Josh Naylor