ESPN’s Jeff Passan called him “a high-average, low-strikeout slugger whose quality at-bats would help transform a solid Seattle lineup into something more.” That was the pitch before the Mariners traded for Josh Naylor in July, sending pitchers Brandyn Garcia and Ashton Izzi to Arizona. And he didn’t disappoint as he posted an OPS of .966 in the postseason, becoming a key player for the Mariners. However, with the disappointing end to the postseason, attention is now on next summer’s roster. Now that his one-year, $10.9M deal has ended, the whispers about his future are getting louder, and his teammates just added fuel to those whispers.

What made Naylor’s arrival so transformative was how he complemented what Cal Raleigh already brought to the table. Raleigh provided the power, and Nay

See Full Page