The idea of the Seattle Mariners keeping Josh Naylor past this season has been a hot topic lately.

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Since the Mariners acquired the veteran first baseman in a late July trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks, he’s been a key part of the team’s offense. Entering Tuesday, Naylor has provided 1.5 fWAR in 44 games for Seattle, slashing .266/.308/.456 for a .763 OPS with eight home runs, six doubles, 26 RBIs, and a surprising 16 stolen bases without being caught once.

Naylor, who is set to be a free agent after the season, told Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob he’s been impressed with the Mariners fan base and said he enjoys hitting at T-Mobile Park, leading to calls for Seattle to re-sign him before 2026. Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto addressed that on the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast last week, saying there is “interest on our end” in bringing Naylor back.

Taking the conversation one step further, Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk asked ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan on Tuesday what kind of contract Naylor could command in free agency. His response was good news for those hoping the M’s can re-sign him.

“First baseman don’t get paid in free agency. That’s just a reality at this point: first baseman do not get paid,” Passan said.

According to Passan, one of his ESPN colleagues, Kiley McDaniel, has Naylor as the No. 18-ranked player in the upcoming class of free agents. McDaniel’s prediction for Naylor’s next contract is $52.5 million over three years.

Why not as much as five years at $100 million? Passan pointed out that while Naylor does a lot that can help a team, there’s one thing that teams tend to want in a first baseman that he doesn’t have.

“As somebody who just loves the player and loves the all-around game now – didn’t think I would ever be saying that about Josh Naylor – but loves the lack of strikeouts, the bat-to-ball (skills), the ability to drive in runs, he’s a corner bat without elite power,” Passan said.

Passan, who noted that there’s “real allure” with the fact that Naylor just turned 28 years old in June, used Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins as a point of comparison. Hoskins signed a two-year, $34 million contract with Milwaukee before the 2024 season.

“I think Josh Naylor is a better player than Rhys Hoskins, but I don’t think he’s that much better a player (than) Rhys Hoskins was entering free agency,” he said. “… So could I see three (years) for $52.5 million (for a Naylor contract)? Is that within the realm of possibility? Absolutely. Could I see four for $80 million? Absolutely. But I don’t think it’s going to take five (years). I don’t think he gets five.”

Catch ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan at 8:30 a.m. each Tuesday during the Seattle Mariners season on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.

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