Mariners' Perfect Offseason Plan To Finally Reach World Series In 2026

So many good pieces, yet so many holes

Oct 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) celebrates with catcher Cal Raleigh (29) after hitting a home run in the third 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

As the dust settles on the Seattle Mariners' heartbreaking playoff loss, it's clear that a lot of work has to be done this winter.

The Mariners have a lot of building blocks: superstar catcher Cal Raleigh and center fielder Julio Rodriguez, a loaded pitching staff, and a highly-regarded farm system. But to remove the sting of their American League Championship Series defeat and get to a World Series for the first time ever, they'll need to make some meaningful upgrades.

As they stand to lose a lot of talent to free agency, here are the moves we believe the Mariners should prioritize as the offseason gets set to kick off.

Re-sign Josh Naylor (but not Eugenio Suárez or Jorge Polanco)

Oct 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (12) hits a RBI single in the first 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

The Mariners made it clear how much they loved having Naylor, who is in his prime and becoming a well-rounded ballplayer at (30 stolen bases? Really?). He was also their most consistent hitter during the playoffs, and should be a no-brainer to bring back to shore up first base long-term.

Eugenio Suárez and Jorge Polanco also had gigantic moments of their own during the postseason, but we're less confident they would be smart signings. Suárez has had his worst numbers as a big-leaguer whenever he's sported a Mariners uniform, and after catching lightning in a bottle this year, Polanco feels like a serious regression candidate, not to mention his positional uncertainty.

Trade a starting pitcher (Bryce Miller?)

Yes, the Mariners' starting rotation is the envy of other teams across the sport. But sometimes, you have to trade from a strength to address a weakness. And with Naylor, Polanco, and Suárez on the market, Seattle is almost guaranteed to have a massive hole somewhere on the infield.

Rather than overpaying for someone like Bo Bichette in free agency, the Mariners can trade a talented, controllable starter like Bryce Miller and try to bring back a position player of a similar age and value. If the infield market isn't fruitful, perhaps they can nab 26-year-old right fielder Wilyer Abreu from the Boston Red Sox.

Find a platoon corner outfielder

Aug 29, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Mike Yastrzemski (18) doubles in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

Ignore the last point about Abreu for now. Mariners right fielders ranked 28th in fWAR this season at a putrid -1.2. Some of that can be attributed to Victor Robles missing nearly the entire season due to injury, but even if Robles is back, Seattle would still be relying heavily on Dominic Canzone and/or Luke Raley next season.

There may not be a perfect answer available, but lefty platoon options like Mike Yastrzemski, Cedric Mullins, and Max Kepler are all worth a look. Even Michael Conforto might have some appeal as a bounce-back candidate.

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