Seattle Mariners Linked to Very Intriguing Trade Candidate For Second Straight Year

After missing out on this first baseman last year, could the M's try to strike again?

Cleveland Guardians first base Josh Naylor (22) runs to third base on the way to score a run during the second inning against the New York Yankees during game five of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field on Oct 19. / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

With the offseason set to hit full force following the conclusion of the World Series, the Seattle Mariners have been linked to an intriguing trade candidate: Josh Naylor of the Cleveland Guardians.

The link was made by the popular website, MLBTradeRumors, and makes sense for several reasons.

Since one of the #Guardians' top players is entering his final season of team control, could a trade be coming this winter?https://t.co/N8dGqaUdI4 pic.twitter.com/Lg5WAGJtqU

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) October 26, 2024

First, the Mariners have already tried to acquire Naylor once before. Reports surfaced last offseason about the teams discussions over the first baseman. If the Mariners were interested previously, it would stand to reason they still are. After all, Naylor is just 27 years old and is coming off a year in which he hit 31 homers and brought in 108 runs.

He provides the kind of offensive punch that the Mariners need - especially at first base. While the Mariners could go with a Luke Raley-led platoon at first, Naylor would give them more stability at the position. Raley could slot in at designated hitter more often and the team could fully utilize his outfield versatility as well. The fit for Naylor is even cleaner this offseason now that Ty France is no longer in the organization.

Secondly, Naylor is headed into the final year of his contract. Projected to make about $12 million in arbitration, he's not too expensive for a Mariners team that needs to work on a budget. He's also not expensive for Cleveland, who could keep him, but they may want to recoup value before seeing Naylor potentially leave in free agency.

So, the age is right, the position is right, production is right, and the money is right for the Mariners. So what could potentially keep them from making a deal for Naylor? The fact that he only has one year left on his contract. While Seattle did make a deal for an expiring Teoscar Hernandez in 2023, they have tended to go after impact hitters that had multiple years left like Eugenio Suarez, Jesse Winker and Jorge Polanco.

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