Mariners Need Answers About Josh Naylor’s Injuries and First-Pitch Struggles

Toughness kept him playing. It didn’t keep him dangerous.

Sep 11, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (12) toss the ball to starting pitcher George Kirby (not pictured) for a force out at first base against Athletics center fielder Henry Bolte (not pictured) during the second inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Josh Naylor saying he needs to get healthy is absolutely an easy answer. It’s also an incomplete one. The Mariners watched their $92.5 million first baseman slog through the worst season of his career, and his physical condition clearly belonged in the conversation. As Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reported, Naylor regularly appeared to be in pain after swings, dealt with apparent shoulder and wrist trouble and could require an offseason procedure.

Honestly, that shouldn’t come as a shock. We’ve mentioned the wrist injury several times throughout the season. What’s interesting is how he managed to play 152 games.

Naylor takes pride in playing through pain. We can respect that. He said he would give everything he had, whether he felt 50 percent or 20. That’s tough, but toughness doesn’t really help when a compromised hitter remains in the lineup for five months without producing the damage the team needs.

Naylor hit only 10 home runs and slugged .350 all season. Not necessarily what you want from your first baseman.

The Mariners need to determine when Naylor’s injuries began affecting his swing, how much the coaching and training staffs knew and whether continuing to play him gave the team its best chance to win. But health is only half of the story.

MLB Pitchers Turned Naylor’s Aggression Against Him

Naylor has made a career out of attacking fastballs early in the count. Entering the season, he owned a .325 career average and an .858 OPS when swinging at the first pitch.

In 2026, the league punched back. Naylor led the majors with 94 first-pitch outs. He hit three home runs with a .634 OPS when offering at the opening pitch. What used to make him dangerous became a shortcut through his plate appearances.

Perhaps the injuries robbed Naylor of the bat speed or strength needed to punish those pitches. That explanation deserves consideration. It still doesn’t account for why the approach remained so predictable while the results kept getting worse.

Hitters are supposed to answer back, but Naylor kept walking into the same trap.

Seattle’s hitting operation shares responsibility here, too. When one of the lineup’s most important hitters repeatedly makes quick, weak outs, the response has to be more substantial than waiting for his career norms to return. The Mariners needed to help him change the terms of the at-bat. Instead, the pattern survived nearly an entire season.

A Healthy Naylor Still Has Work to Do

Naylor deserves credit for owning his performance. “I didn’t do my part,” he said after the season. 

The Mariners cannot enter 2027 believing surgery, rest or rehabilitation will automatically restore the hitter who was acquired for their 2025 postseason run. Naylor needs his body back, but he also needs a counterpunch. If pitchers believe they can steal an out by exploiting his first-pitch aggression, he must adjust and give them a reason to reconsider.

They owe Naylor four more seasons, and their lineup cannot afford another year of singles without enough pop. The organization should come out of the offseason knowing how his offensive plan will change.