Josh Naylor signed a five-year deal with the Mariners, ruining a potential reunion. Details of that contract are trickling out. The deal is worth $92.5 million over five years, cementing him as a Mariner for the foreseeable future. 

Naylor was linked back to the Guardians for the past several weeks as a potential first baseman for the team. With him off the board, who should the Guardians target?

CJ Kayfus was the primary first baseman after trading Naylor last season. Kayfus, in 44 games, had a .220 average, mashed four home runs, drove in 19 runs, but struck out 38 times.

Kyle Manzardo had the largest sample size, but is arguably not an every day first baseman. In 142 games, Manzardo had a .234 average and smashed 27 home runs, good for second on the team. Manzardo should get regular playing time, but with the Guardians playing Kayfus as often as they did at first, the second half of last season tells you how they feel about Manzardo at first.

The obvious home run hitter, literally and metaphorically, is Munetaka Murakami. He is coming from Japan’s Nippon league, and has the record for most home runs in a season there. He also mashed 22 home runs in 56 games last season.

Murakami is a third baseman and first baseman. Still, there is no reason the Guardians cannot use him primarily as a first baseman and Designated Hitter, while being the primary backup at third base for Jose Ramirez to get the occasional breather on defense.

Murakami fills several holes, mainly on offense, and the Guardians should strongly consider him.

Another Japanese prospect makes this list. Kazuma Okamoto. He is a bat-to-ball player who hit for a high average of .322 with modest power (15 home runs), and he does have the ability to play third base as well if need be. Okamoto is not as powerful as Murakami, but is a better contact hitter.

Other prominent names on the market that play first base are: Luis Arraez, Paul Goldschmidt, Josh Bell, Ryan O’Hearn, Wilmer Flores, and Rhys Hoskins.

Luis Arraez is essentially another Steven Kwan, albeit with a significantly worse glove. Goldschmidt mashed lefties last season for the Yankees, but fizzled down the stretch. Goldschmidt, 38, was ultimately not playing in September and the playoffs for the Yankees due to his regression throughout the season.

Ryan O’Hearn (32) and Josh Bell (33) are both power bats, but are extremely streaky hitters with gloves that are nothing special. Wilmer Flores (34) had a negative WAR last season and brings down batting average and speed to any club he joins.

The market is not rich with prospects, to say the least. The most likely scenario for the Guardians is riding with how they ended 2025, with Kyle Manzardo and CJ Kayfus alternating time at first base.

If the front office decides to go a different direction, there is no better direction than the 25-year-old slugger from Japan, Munetaka Murakami. He brings power, average, swag, and he can give Jose Ramirez some days off from playing the hot corner as well, not to mention the buzz he would bring to the club and the city if he were to sign.