Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor has fully embraced the City of Seattle

After re-signing with the club following a short stint in 2025, Mariners slugger Josh Naylor has clearly fallen head over heels for the Emerald City

Feb 20, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (12) looks on during the game against the San Diego Padres during a Spring Training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Well, it's become pretty obvious by now that one of the Seattle Mariners' best recent moves was acquiring first baseman Josh Naylor from the Cleveland Guardians late last season. After re-signing with the club following a short stint in 2025, the 28-year-old has clearly fallen head over heels for the Emerald City. And he's not afraid to let anyone who's listening know about it.

"[Seattle is] just full of energy," Naylor has said about the city and its people. "An awesome fan base, who loves baseball, loves to watch their hometown team win, and I think we really feed off that as a group. I mean, I sure do, and I can say 100% sure that everyone else does."

"We have such loud fans. And [the Mariners] do a great job of keeping the fans excited --- in between innings, in between pitches. I love playing here."

Josh Naylor backed up those remarks when he agreed to a five-year, $92.5 million contract in November 2025, keeping him with Seattle through the 2030 season. He was considered such a force on the field and a leader in the locker room that retaining him was labeled as the club's 'top priority' over the winter.

At the same time, he's continued to state that it was his comfort level with the Mariners, nurtured by those same fans, are what makes it the perfect fit for him. He's already adored, he's an asset to the team, and he's a member of a legitimate World Series contender. At this point in his career, he's sitting pretty.

"I've gotten so many compliments from friends who watch me play, or ex-teammates I've played, or even opponents that I'm against, about how awesome it s in Seattle. "Naylor has stated. "And, like how cool the fan base is; they're just like ride-or-die in Seattle. It's super awesome to be a part of."

Naylor, Raleigh, and J-Rod are a terrific trio

Oct 12, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) celebrates scoring with first baseman Josh Naylor (12) in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game one of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Lost in the shuffle of offseason acquisitions and all the prospects popping up, one of the major storylines (and keys to Seattle's success) will be that the Mariners now have the elite slugging triumvirate of Naylor, Cal Raleigh, and Julio Rodriguez in 2026.

With Naylor being a late-season acquisition, the group never really got a chance to get settled in the midst of a hard-fought pennant race. Now, the trio of heavy hitters will have a 162-game schedule together, with expectations that all three of them will thrive from each other's output.

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Fans in the Pacific Northwest better be ready to see some towering shots from this triad in 2026. Watching Josh Naylor team with two of the game's top players, we could be in store for the best triple-shot of terror in all of baseball this season.