COLUMN: Mariners start the offseason right
The Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez scores on an RBI single by teammate Josh Naylor against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning in Game 7 of baseball's American League Championship Series in Toronto, Monday, Oct. 20, 2025.
Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP
On Monday, the Seattle Mariners announced that Josh Naylor re-signed with the team on a five-year deal for $92 million. Re-signing the star first baseman is an excellent first step in a successful offseason for the Mariners, who should be looking to reload and make another run at a World Series.
In a statement from Naylor put out by the Mariners, he said he was excited to remain in Seattle. These sentiments, expressed by him, set a positive tone for a franchise that looks poised to be perennial championship contenders.
“From the moment I arrived, everyone in the organization welcomed and helped me. The players brought me in and loved my game right away, and the fans were incredible. Seattle has the best fanbase in baseball. They're electric and support us through and through, and I couldn't be more thankful for that. I can't wait to continue to play with these guys and bring the city a championship,” Naylor said.
Not only do Naylor’s sentiments send the right message, but the Mariners securing his services on a long-term deal at this point in the offseason also sends a message that this team is looking to win now.
Now that they have Naylor back in the clubhouse, the Mariners need to get the ball rolling on retaining Eugenio Suarez. The impact they made on the Mariners' season undoubtedly makes them attractive to other teams that are looking to retool their own rosters. Locking them down to their books for the foreseeable future continues to send the message that this franchise is destined to compete for championships every year.
Naylor undoubtedly was an excellent addition to this team last season. He was top-30 in RBIs and top 10 in batting average. He also logged his fair share of home runs with 20. More impressive is his activity when he’s on base.
In the 2025 season overall, he was nearly perfect in stealing bases, as he went 30 for 32. Even as teams became more aware of his talents, they were not able to stop him most of the time. To retain a threat like that could go a long way for the Mariners next season.
Retaining the trio of Cal Raleigh, Naylor and Suarez will set this team up for the future. After securing these players for the future, the next step is surrounding them with the talent that will help them shine.
Alex Bregman has swirled in conversations about free agent targets this offseason for the Mariners. He has gotten a lot of praise for his production at bat and on defense. The aspect that stands out to me the most is the compliments he receives for leadership. In a time like this, the Mariners should only sign players that will add to their team culture and someone like Bregman could do just that.
Another name that I like is Munetaka Murakami, an infielder for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball, currently 25 years old, and has been rumored to become available this winter.
In 2022, Murakami became the NPBL’s youngest triple crown winner as a 22-year-old in. In that season, he hit 56 home runs, which was a record for Japanese-born players. International athletes have taken American professional sports leagues by storm.
Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto immediately come to mind as they both helped the Dodgers reach the World Series in October. The Mariners should take inspiration from the Los Angeles-based franchise and take a gamble on a young superstar in the making. The addition of Murakami could make the Mariners the most entertaining offense in the entire MLB next season – if they can pull it off.
With endless options and directions to go as a franchise this offseason, the Mariners have taken the best first step they could by re-signing Naylor. Now, keep going.