Josh Naylor's 5-Year Mariners Contract Revealed: Why Seattle Got Great Value

News of Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor's new deal in free agency broke on Sunday night, but it took nearly 24 hours for the exact dollar amount to be revealed.

However, when Ari Alexander of WHDH-TV in Boston revealed that the contract was worth between $90-100 million, the prevailing emotion among fans was surprise. Most projections had Naylor receiving a four-year deal worth about that much, perhaps a tiny bit less, but the fifth year seemed to deflate the average annual value.

The official dollar amount was widely reported on Monday, as were several other contract details, and all of it makes the Mariners look fantastic (which is no knock on Naylor, as it is life-changing money still).

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Naylor gets $92.5 million to stay a Mariner

As Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported on X, the Mariners' deal with Naylor is for five years, $92.5 million, which equates to an average annual value of $18.5 million.

"Josh Naylor's contract with the Mariners is for five years, $92.5M, source tells The Athletic," wrote Rosenthal.

Robert Murray of FanSided soon followed with the details of Naylor's reported signing bonus, and the fact that he'll have a full no-trade clause, which should put his mind at ease after being traded twice this year (from the Cleveland Guardians to the Arizona Diamondbacks in December, then to Seattle in July).

"Josh Naylor’s contract with the Seattle Mariners is for five years, $92.5 million and includes a full no-trade clause, sources say. It also includes a $6.5 million signing bonus," Murray wrote.

Any way you slice it, the Mariners made out well here. Not only did they potentially save a few million dollars based on Naylor's projected market value (we'll never know for sure), but they took care of their most important offseason business at the earliest possibility.

Only the Mariners know what their exact budget is for the upcoming season (it's believed to be roughly $165 million), but we know Naylor's cap hit will likely be $18.5 million (assuming no crazy deferrals), and that will help them know where else to focus their energy.

Obviously, Naylor getting the fifth year is a win for the player and could hurt Seattle down the road if his performance declines. But he'll only be 33 in 2030, when the deal enters its final year, so it's a very understandable gamble to take.

More MLB: Mariners' Post-Josh Naylor Free Agency Plans Revealed By MLB Insider