Because the Mariners seek for first base upgrades this winter, they’ve had some talks with the Guardians about Josh Naylor, per Jon Morosi of MLB Community. There’s no indication the 2 events are in any kind of superior negotiations, however the match is a pure one for an M’s membership seeking to enhance its offense and a Guardians squad that has been open to provides on Naylor and outfielder Lane Thomas as they enter their ultimate seasons of membership management.
Naylor, 27, is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $12MM this coming season earlier than reaching free company subsequent winter. He’s recent off a career-high 31 homers and a .243/.320/.456 batting line (118 wRC+) with a 9.2% stroll fee and only a 16.6% strikeout fee. The Mariners have been vocal over the previous year-plus about desirous to reduce on their teamwide strikeout fee. Including energy and concurrently decreasing strikeout fee are sometimes at odds with each other, however Naylor is the kind of bat who might help them obtain each objectives concurrently.
A commerce of Naylor for a Cleveland membership that simply re-signed Shane Bieber and is clearly intent on contending in 2025 might sound counterproductive at first look, however the perennial tightrope stroll of buying and selling high quality veterans for younger expertise whereas nonetheless attempting to area a successful membership is nothing new for the Guards. They only unloaded Andres Gimenez and his contract in what amounted to a three-team commerce bringing hard-throwing righty Luis Ortiz to Cleveland from Pittsburgh. That dropped their anticipated payroll to round $97MM, per RosterResource. Shedding Naylor would scale that again to $85MM whereas opening time for Kyle Manzardo at first base (and maybe creating extra room for some smaller-scale free agent additions).
On the similar time, it needs to be famous {that a} commerce of Naylor isn’t a foregone conclusion. The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd wrote lately that he’d gotten the sense a commerce of the slugging first baseman was turning into much less doubtless, because the Guards weren’t impressed with something provided up by different golf equipment. (A single textual content or telephone name can change that, after all.) Understandably, Cleveland isn’t going to maneuver a participant of Naylor’s capability simply to shed payroll; they’d have to really feel they’re getting respectable worth in return — particularly since with a season akin to his 2022-24 showings, a then-28-year-old Naylor can be a qualifying provide candidate subsequent offseason.
For the Mariners, Naylor would offer a lift to a membership that noticed Justin Turner attain free company at season’s finish. Turner was the membership’s major first baseman down the stretch final yr after a deadline commerce bringing him to Seattle. The M’s have Luke Raley as an possibility at first base, however he might additionally combine into the outfield and at designated hitter. Prospect Tyler Locklear is prepared for an enormous league look, however a postseason hopeful just like the Mariners won’t need to simply hand first base to an unproven 24-year-old who posted league-average numbers in Triple-A final season and slashed .156/.224/.311 with a 41% strikeout fee in his first 49 MLB plate appearances.
The M’s additionally have curiosity in bringing both Turner or veteran Carlos Santana again to Seattle. (Santana performed with the M’s in 2023.) The workforce’s prime precedence in the intervening time appears to be upgrading at first base, then including assist at both third or second base — doubtless the previous. In-house choices like Dylan Moore, Ryan Bliss and (ultimately) prime prospect Cole Younger might consider at second base if the tip result’s upgrading at each corners.
Naylor’s projected wage doubtless suits throughout the Mariners’ reported funds — about $15MM to spend, give or take, per Adam Jude of the Seattle Occasions — however in all probability doesn’t depart room for one more notable addition. The Mariners would absolutely like to discover a approach to unload the contracts of Mitch Haniger $15.5MM in 2025) and/or Mitch Garver ($12.5MM in 2025), however both can be a tall activity. The presence of these cumbersome contracts, coupled with a second offseason headlined by a decent funds from possession, make one other spherical of trades from the ever-active Seattle entrance workplace likelier than a sequence of free-agent splashes aimed without delay once more revamping an offense that has struggled to provide in a extremely pitcher-friendly setting.
