Why Mariners Must Re-Sign Josh Naylor, According To Jeff Passan

Josh Naylor was absolutely fantastic in his three months for the Seattle Mariners.

After putting up an OPS of .831 in the regular season and .967 in the playoffs, Naylor is hitting the free-agent market with his value at a high point. He's also still just 28, has an All-Star appearance in the bag, and stole 30 bases out of nowhere this year.

Coming off a deep postseason run that ended in heartbreak at the end of the American League Championship Series, how vital is it to the Mariners' hopes of future title contention?

Mariners strongly urged to re-sign Naylor

Oct 19, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (12) runs after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning during game six of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Well, to hear ESPN insider Jeff Passan tell it, it's fairly essential.

During an appearance on Seattle Sports' " Brock and Salk" show on Tuesday, Passan noted that he didn't believe the Mariners would have a ton of competition in signing Naylor to a long-term deal, but they might also be risk-averse in that regard.

“That’s the thing about it, first basemen in free agency, they don’t do great,” Passan said. “We’ve seen this with Pete Alonso. We’ve seen this with Freddie Freeman. And the reason Freddie Freeman is a Dodger is because of the industry aversion to signing first basemen to long-term contracts.”

However, Passan also noted that the Mariners would be under a lot of pressure to re-sign Naylor, because he was such a catalyst to their playoff run and losing him would be a shock to the team's culture in addition to a big loss in the lineup.

“It’s not that they would like him, it’s not that they would need him in free agency," Passan wrote. "It’s that, if they don’t have him, it’s going to feel empty. And after a year like this, that’s not something the Mariners want to be doing.”

It's not as if Naylor is among the elites at the first-base position, historically speaking. Before this season, he'd never tallied three wins above replacement in a single campaign. But he reeks of competency, and that's something the Mariners need to keep around as they try and construct a World Series roster.

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