Royals Should Target Mariners Slugger With Rising Stock To Boost 2026 Offense

The Royals will need to address their offense.

Aug 10, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (12) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo-home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Royals were buyers at the trade deadline this summer adding pitchers Stephen Kolek, Ryan Bergert and Bailey Falter while also bringing in infielder Adam Frazier and outfielders Randal Grichuk and Mike Yastrzemski. Their offense had been their achilles heel for much of the season, especially in the outfield.

All three bats acquired by the Royals at the trade deadline will be free agents at season's end, which means they may have to dive back into the market to either bring them back or replace them. How they'll operate is anybody's guess.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report listed several upcoming free agents and whether their stock was up or down. Josh Naylor of the Seattle Mariners stock was up. Perhaps he could be a fit for the Royals this offseason.

Royals Should Pursue Mariners Slugger With Rising Stock

Aug 10, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (12) reacts to a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

"Josh Naylor is four years into a run in which his OPS+ has consistently sat in the 120-130 range, which is pretty good even for a first baseman.," Rymer wrote.

"He's also becoming a more complete ballplayer seemingly by the day in 2025. He is notably 22-for-24 stealing bases despite sprint speed in the third percentile, all while he's continued to balance above-average power with a well-below-average strikeout rate of 13.7 percent."

Naylor was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Seattle Mariners at the deadline. The former All-Star is hitting .291/.359/.462 with 15 hom runs, 67 RBI, 22 stolen bases, a 1.6 WAR and an .821 OPS.

While the Royals have Vinnie Pasquantino at first base, Naylor can be used in the outfield and could significantly bolster the Royals production from that part of the lineup.

Naylor brings power from the left side of the plate and also could be a strong clubhouse presence for a relatively young Royals team that will likely still be fighting for a postseason berth in 2026.

Naylor made his Major League debut in 2019 with the San Diego Padres and was traded to the Cleveland Guardians in 2020. Cleveland sent him to Arizona last offseason in a trade, and he was also part of Arizona's deadline fire sale.

It will be interesting to see what kind of attention he gets in free agency this coming offseason. The Royals would certainly benefit from having him around and in their lineup for 2026.

We'll see where the offseason takes him.

More MLB: Royals' Matt Quatraro Has Vinnie Pasquantino Message After Slugger's Big Night