Seattle Mariners Acquire Josh Naylor at Trade Deadline
Introduction
The Seattle Mariners have made their first move of the trade deadline, adding a big bat to their lineup in the form of first baseman Josh Naylor. According to a source, the Mariners acquired Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks, in what is expected to be a significant addition for the team. This move comes as the Mariners continue to make a push for a playoff spot in the highly competitive AL West division.
Key Details
Naylor brings a powerful presence to the Mariners' lineup, with 13 home runs and 64 RBIs this season for the Diamondbacks. The 24-year-old has shown great potential at the plate and is expected to provide a much-needed boost for the Mariners' struggling offense. This move also shows the Mariners' dedication to making a run for the playoffs, as they continue to make bold moves to strengthen their roster.
Impact
The acquisition of Naylor is a significant move for the Mariners, as they aim to compete with the top teams in the AL. With a strong lineup that already includes All-Stars like Mitch Haniger and Kyle Seager, Naylor adds even more depth and power to the team. This move also shows the Mariners' commitment to building a winning team, as they continue to make strategic moves to improve their chances of making the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
About the People Mentioned
Mitch Haniger
Mitch Haniger is a professional baseball outfielder born on December 23, 1990, in Mountain View, California.[3] He played college baseball at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he was named the 2012 Big West Conference Player of the Year and led the conference in home runs (13), RBIs (64), and slugging percentage (.626).[8] The Milwaukee Brewers selected him in the first round (38th overall) of the 2012 MLB Draft.[1] Haniger made his Major League debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016 before being traded to the Seattle Mariners in November 2016 along with infielder Jean Segura in exchange for Ketel Marte and Taijuan Walker.[1] He appeared in six seasons with Seattle across three separate stints (2017-2019, 2021-2022, 2024), with a one-year stint with the San Francisco Giants in 2023.[2] His breakout season came in 2018 when he made the American League All-Star team and finished 11th in AL MVP voting.[1] That year, he hit .285 with 26 home runs, 93 RBIs, and a .859 OPS across 157 games, accumulating 6.5 Wins Above Replacement.[1] In 2021, Haniger had another strong season, hitting 39 home runs (5th in the AL) and driving in 100 runs.[3] Over his career, Haniger recorded 688 hits with a .250 batting average and 130 home runs across 2,755 at-bats.[3] His 60 home runs at T-Mobile Park rank fifth-most in the ballpark's history, and his eight walk-off hits are the most in Mariners franchise history.[1] He also received AL MVP votes in both 2018 and 2021, and helped the Mariners reach the postseason in 2022, their first appearance since 2001.[1] In November 2025, the Mariners released Haniger at age 34, concluding his tenure with the organization.[1]
Kyle Seager
Kyle Seager is an American professional baseball player born on November 3, 1987, in Charlotte, North Carolina.[2] He is the brother of fellow Major League Baseball players Corey Seager and Justin Seager, a fact he embraced by wearing the nickname "Corey's Brother" on his jersey during the 2017 MLB Player's Weekend.[4] Seager attended the University of North Carolina, where he established himself as one of the nation's top college baseball players. During his sophomore season in 2008, he earned second-team All-America honors and won the Walter Rabb Award as the Tar Heels' most improved position player. He set a single-season UNC record with 30 doubles and posted 75 RBIs that year.[1] He was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the third round of the 2009 MLB Draft with the 82nd overall pick.[2] Making his MLB debut on July 7, 2011, Seager spent 11 seasons with the Mariners as a third baseman, becoming one of the franchise's most significant players.[4] Over his career, he accumulated 1,395 hits, 242 home runs, and 807 RBIs across 1,480 games, finishing with a .251 batting average and 37.0 WAR.[2] His consistency was remarkable—he played in at least 154 games in eight different seasons, a distinction matched by only a few active players at the time.[4] Seager ranks among the top five in Mariners franchise history in runs, hits, extra-base hits, and home runs, trailing only legends like Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Ichiro Suzuki, and Alex Rodriguez in WAR among position players.[4] Known as "Cap" by his teammates for his leadership qualities, Seager served as Seattle's de facto captain throughout his tenure. After the Mariners declined his 2022 club option, he became a free agent and subsequently played for the Texas Rangers.[7] His 11-year commitment to Seattle earned him a standing ovation during his final game in 2021, reflecting his significance to the franchise and its fanbase.
About the Organizations Mentioned
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Phoenix, Arizona, competing in the National League West division. Founded in 1998 as an expansion franchise, the Diamondbacks quickly distinguished themselves by winning the National League West title in their second season and capturing the World Series championship in 2001—the fastest for an expansion team in MLB history. This early success was driven by star pitchers Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, whose dominant performances earned them co-Most Valuable Player honors in the World Series victory over the New York Yankees[1][2]. The team plays its home games at Chase Field in Phoenix and is owned by Ken Kendrick. The Diamondbacks' colors are Sedona red, black, teal, and white[1]. Over the years, the franchise has experienced fluctuating performance levels, with stretches of playoff contention and droughts. Notable players in team history include Randy Johnson, who holds several franchise records, Luis Gonzalez, famed for his clutch hitting in the 2001 championship, and more recent talents like Corbin Carroll, a standout rookie who has emerged as a key figure for the team's future[1][6]. In recent seasons, including 2025, the Diamondbacks have shown signs of resurgence, returning to competitive form and reaching the World Series again in 2023, though they fell short against the Texas Rangers. The team’s 2025 roster faces challenges such as injuries to key pitchers like Corbin Burnes, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, impacting rotation depth. Despite this, the Diamondbacks maintain a solid offensive and pitching presence, ranking 8th in team batting average and 6th in home runs for 2025, though their earned run average (ERA) indicates room for improvement on defense[3][4]. The Diamondbacks are also recognized for their evolving farm system and prospects, emphasizing player development and technology integration in scouting and training to remain competitive in the increasingly data-driven landscape of professiona