The Seattle Mariners started their offseason exactly the way everyone wanted them to: by locking up Josh Naylor for the foreseeable future.
Why Josh Naylor ‘knew’ he wanted to come back to Seattle
This was the ultimate no-brainer. Naylor is a very good player who fit their roster – and culture – perfectly. Without him, they had a hole at first base with the other options on the market far from appetizing. Now Naylor has a long-term home and the Mariners are able to plan their crucial offseason with the comfort of having their biggest question answered.
Josh Naylor was the foundational player the Mariners needed in place to get the rest of their offseason started. But Jorge Polanco is the pivot piece for everything that happens next.
Polanco is the most complex question of the winter. On paper, he fits this roster perfectly. His versatility matches nearly exactly to their needs.
The Mariners need a player who can DH on days when Cal Raleigh catches and play another position on days when Cal isn’t behind the plate. Polanco fits that role. They need a veteran player to pair with their young options at second base, primarily Cole Young. Polanco fits that role. He also switch-hits, which gives them more flexibility against lefties especially. Oh, and he could be an option at first base, as well.
Plus, the Mariners know him. They like him. He was a leader in the clubhouse and a clutch performer, if not a hero, in the postseason. He lengthens the lineup and offers a grinding, professional at-bat.
If it was that simple, the M’s could make him an offer he couldn’t refuse and plan the press conference.
But Polanco will play next season at age 32. MLB.com listed him as the 24th best free agent in this class. If he’s looking for three years (and that seems like a good bet), they will be paying him through the age of 34. He is one year removed from a season in which he lost his regular job. He had portions of this past year where he looked totally lost at the plate. And those downturns seem to coincide with injury issues in the lower half of his body.
Polanco is a good hitter, and the Mariners did an excellent job of nursing him through last season and maximizing his health and hence his productivity. But that challenge is only going to get tougher as he ages through his early 30s.
And, as it turns out, his postseason numbers weren’t nearly as strong as you might remember. While he had a few key moments, and one that may be remembered for years, he had just a .705 OPS in the ALDS, and that dipped to .670 against Toronto.
I would like the Mariners to bring Polanco back. He is a good fit. But with Naylor signed, the team is in a good position to stick to whatever number they think is best. They could, for instance, hold firm at a two-year commitment which would guard against injury or regression.
But if Polanco’s market is robust, there is no need for the Mariners to exceed their limits. A player like free agent Willi Castro is a reasonable facsimile and two years younger. Or they could build a different mousetrap.
That’s why Polanco is the pivot. If the Mariners move in another direction, they could address their needs in a totally different way.
A one-year deal for Geno Suarez that allows him to DH, play some first and split time at third with Ben Williamson or Colt Emerson? Want to take that money (and then some) and make a bid for Bo Bichette? What if they want to use some of this deep farm system to trade for someone we aren’t even considering yet?
M’s GM Hollander details the offseason moves they want to make
While not all of them would be considered true holes to fill, there are reasonable ways to improve at second, short, third, right field, left field and DH. Some of that will be filled with young players from within, as it should be. Some will remain status quo. But others can be improved. The Mariners need another leverage arm. And there is an open question as to whether they have a true ace atop this rotation.
The Mariners don’t need to answer every one of those questions today. Not even during the winter. If nothing else, 2025 showed us that the roster you start with doesn’t have to look like the one you play in September. But the Polanco decision will offer a good opportunity to see which direction they want to go.
Crank up that hot stove!
More Seattle Mariners offseason coverage
• Mariners trade for minor league reliever, DFA Saucedo
• Naylor credits M’s clubhouse dog Tucker for making him feel at home
• Two former Mariners players join Félix, ARod on Hall of Fame ballot
• Mariners’ offseason opportunities ‘endless’ after Naylor re-signing
• Seattle Mariners trade minor league pitchers with Dodgers
