The Seattle Mariners lost four players to free agency when MLB released it’s official list on Sunday, setting up some tough decisions for the front office.
Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez, Caleb Ferguson and Luke Jackson all hit the open market after the World Series wrapped up Saturday night.
Ferguson and Jackson are relief pitchers who don’t figure to be priorities for Seattle going forward.
But Naylor and Suarez? That’s where things get interesting.
Both players came over in separate deadline deals – moves that only happened because they were heading into free agency anyway. The Mariners essentially got rental players to see what they could do.
Now they’ve got to decide if either one’s worth keeping long-term.
Naylor Made His Case
The 27-year-old first baseman had his best stretch as a Mariner. Naylor slugged the ball, made consistent contact and even swiped a few bases – something you don’t always see from corner infielders.
He’s looking like the better investment of the two deadline pickups.
Suarez struggled more in his second stint with Seattle. The veteran third baseman showed consistent power during the first half with Arizona, but that didn’t carry over after the trade.
Both players could still help the Mariners next season. The problem is salary structure.
Seattle’s probably looking at keeping one and letting the other walk, not both. Naylor seems like the obvious choice, but he’s also going to cost more on the open market.
What makes this decision crucial is timing. The Mariners need to get their 2025 roster construction right, and these moves will shape how much flexibility they have for other additions.
Negotiations are just getting started, but Seattle’s front office knows these two free agents could determine whether next season becomes a step forward or backward.
