The Seattle Mariners took care of step one, but they certainly can’t afford to relax.
Re-signing Josh Naylor, which the Mariners reportedly accomplished on Sunday, was the team’s top priority and a clear victory for the front office. But Seattle fell one game short of a World Series appearance last month, and that was with Naylor on the team.
Now, we’ll wait to see what else the Mariners do to try and build a World Series-worthy roster, which also puts second baseman Jorge Polanco and third baseman Eugenio Suárez in the spotlight.
Mariners expected to pursue third base in free agency
Oct 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) throws out Toronto Blue Jays right fielder George Springer (4) at first base in the second inning during game seven of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
On Monday, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported that the Mariners are more likely to pursue a third baseman in free agency than a second baseman in the wake of the Naylor signing.
“Naylor’s deal will be the biggest free-agent deal handed out during Jerry Dipoto’s decade-long tenure running the Mariners’ baseball operations department, but Seattle must still address second and third base, with Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suárez both on the free-agent market,” wrote Feinsand.
“The Mariners have internal options at second base (Cole Young is the likely candidate), but third base figures to be a spot that Seattle looks to fill from the outside.”
This certainly doesn’t indicate that a reunion with Suárez is more likely than with Polanco. In fact, all other things being equal, Polanco’s third-base defense is likely better than Suárez’s, so the Mariners could make him their other reunion and shift him to a position he played for them more often last year.
The third base market is flush with other flashy options as well, though the Mariners might not have the budget for them, namely Alex Bregman, Munetaka Murakami, and Kazuma Okamoto. Trading away an expensive contract would likely be the only way for Seattle to fit one of those players onto the payroll.
Every offseason is like an intricate jigsaw puzzle, and Naylor’s piece being snapped into place was a crucial one. It will be fascinating to see what Seattle does next, and how the third-base market winds up shaking out.
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