Josh Naylor’s 5-Year, $92M Extension: Already a Mistake?
The Seattle Mariners kicked off the offseason by re-signing Josh Naylor to a 5-year, $92 million extension, but could it backfire? Naylor was a huge reason why the Mariners were able to make a run in the playoffs last year, but he has been off to a disastrous start this season. Last trade deadline, the team acquired him from the Diamondbacks for two top-30 prospects. He was having a great season in Arizona, posting some of the best numbers of his career, and he continued that success in Seattle.
In 55 games with the Mariners, Naylor posted an OPS+ of 135, slugging 9 home runs, and recording 2.2 WAR. In the playoffs, he was even better, as his OPS rose from .831 to .967, and his batting average jumped from an already good .299 to a team-leading .340. Without his impressive performance that season, Seattle likely would not have reached the AL Championship.
With all the success Naylor and the Mariners had together, a big extension seemed like the obvious move, but through the first 10 games of the season, this success has not been replicated. He was hitless through his first 5 games and overall is batting .125 with a 1 OPS+ and 0 home runs. The team, in general, is having a disappointing start, as they are 4-6 and in fourth place in the AL West. In recent history, the Mariners have been known for slow starts, and they hoped this would change with the addition of Naylor, who has been a consistent player throughout his career.
While there is a lot of time left in the season, there is a ton of pressure on Naylor and the Mariners to have a successful season, as they are one of the few teams to never reach a World Series. The length of Naylor’s contract, along with the high expectations for this Seattle team after an aggressive offseason, makes the start to this contract extension nerve-racking for the organization. They desperately need him to turn his season around quickly and return to being a reliable presence in the middle of their lineup so they can build momentum and avoid another slow start to the season.
