Mariners' Reported Josh Naylor Deal Is An Absolute Steal

The Seattle Mariners made it clear that re-signing Josh Naylor this offseason was the team's priority and they weren't fooling around.

Naylor reportedly landed the first big deal of the offseason on Sunday night. ESPN's Jeff Passan was the first to report the news.

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"Breaking: First baseman Josh Naylor and the Seattle Mariners are finalizing a five-year contract, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN," Passan said. "The first major free agent to sign this winter goes back to Seattle, where he was beloved after joining the Mariners in a deadline trade. The Mariners made Josh Naylor their top priority entering the winter, and his excellence down the stretch got him a long-term deal to join Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and the Mariners’ rotation as a foundational piece. His energy was infectious. Seattle didn't want to lose it."

The Mariners reportedly got a very solid deal done

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

When the initial report surfaced, it didn't include the financial information from the five-year pact. Later on, 7News Sports Anchor/Reporter Ari Alexander reported that the deal is in the range of $90 to $100 million while citing a source.

"League source confirms the Mariners are finalizing a 5-year deal with 1B Josh Naylor," Alexander said. "Source tells me the deal is in the $90-100 million range."

The Mariners haven't officially announced the deal. But, if this reported figure is accurate, it arguably would be a steal for Seattle.

There's an argument that Naylor was the top first baseman on the open market, outside of Pete Alonso. There's an argument that Munetaka Murakami is in that conversation, but he hasn't played in the big leagues yet. Alonso is a five-time All-Star and is 30 years old. Naylor doesn't have the same pedigree, but he's 28 years old and has been an All-Star himself. He doesn't have the same power, but he is a 30-home run threat, as much as he is a 30-stolen bases threat.

It was reported that Alonso turned down a $158 million deal back in 2023. Now, Naylor wasn't going to get near that, but Alonso was around the same age as Naylor is now when that report came in. Alonso turned it down hoping for more and settled with a two-year, $54 million deal before the 2025 season that he opted out of this offseason.

All in all, the Mariners are getting a guy just entering his prime on a five-year deal with a very reasonable annual value. Plus, they should have more money to spend this offseason as well.

A perfect start to the offseason for Seattle.

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