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7 hours ago
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Josh Naylor was everything the Seattle Mariners could've wanted when they traded him a few days before the July 31 deadline.
The only problem, and they knew this at the time of course, is that Naylor was in the last year of his contract. So now he's a free agent.
That doesn't mean Seattle is out of the picture, though.
On the contrary: The Mariners have been named the best free agent fit for Naylor by ESPN's David Schoenfield.
"Naylor was the perfect fit for the Mariners, who had not only struggled at first base, but also needed a more contact-oriented hitter like Naylor for the middle of the lineup when they traded for him at this year's deadline," Schoenfield writes. "He unveiled one of the most surprising secret weapons, going 30-for-32 as a base stealer despite being one of the slowest runners in baseball. Although many hitters are reluctant to sign with the Mariners, Naylor loves hitting at T-Mobile Park, with a career line of .304/.335/.534. The Mariners should have room to bring him back."
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Naylor is a tricky free agent in figuring out how he might age. At his stocky build, he could fall off quickly, especially in the out-of-nowhere base-stealing department.
But he also has incredible hand-eye coordination, intensity and self-belief. So maybe Naylor won't decline for a while.
The Mariners, or any other team (like Schoenfield's other possible fit, the Texas Rangers), have to weigh all that when they offer Naylor a contract.
Given that Seattle has already seen what it can do to have Naylor at his best in their lineup, it makes sense that the Mariners are the favorites to bring him back.
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