Insider Gives Update on Josh Naylor's Upcoming Free Agency

Josh Naylor, Seattle Mariners, celebrates HR in the dugout

The Seattle Mariners boosted their offense significantly at the trade deadline, acquiring first baseman Josh Naylor and third baseman Eugenio Suarez.

And while Suarez has been a bit of a disaster at the plate since coming back to Seattle, Naylor has continued his fine season, and has been a big part of the M's current eight-game winning streak (going into Sunday's play) that has pulled them even with the Houston Astros at the top of the American League's West Division.

With that, insider Bob Nightengale says in USA Today that Naylor has likely earned himself a huge new contract with the Mariners in free agency this winter.

Josh Naylor not only has been huge for the Mariners during their fabulous run down the stretch since being acquired from the Diamondbacks, but he may have earned himself a fat contract with Seattle in free agency.
Naylor is hitting .338 with five homers and a 1.032 OPS in 20 games at T-Mobile Park, usually a graveyard for hitters.
If the Mariners make the playoffs, and go deep, Naylor should earn the biggest contract by a free-agent position player in GM Jerry Dipoto’s 10 years, eclipsing Mitch Garver’s three-year, $24 million contract.

With that home production, Naylor has quickly made himself into a fan favorite in Seattle, and in fact, there was even a sign on the railing above the left-field facade at T-Mobile Park this week that read, “Sign Naylor Now.”

“I don’t really look around at the crowd like that during the game,” Naylor told Daniel Kramer. “I’m kind of just locked in on the moment. But that’s super cool. The fans here are awesome...

"I just really enjoy playing here. Coming here as an opponent, I thought it was a super cool stadium. The fans were always electric. And I think you see [the ball] well here, personally.”

This year, he's on a $10.9 million contract, in his final season of arbitration. He'll be a free agent at season's end, but it sounds like the Mariners will have quite a bit of pressure to re-sign the 28-year-old veteran from Canada.

Naylor has a 116 OPS+ with Seattle, with eight homers and 23 RBIs in 43 games.