The Seattle Mariners were one run short of the World Series.
A Game 7 ALCS loss is heartbreaking, and it’s also motivating. This offseason will be viewed as crucial to getting Seattle over that final hump.
The Mariners really just have two things to figure out. At first base, Josh Naylor is a free agent, and at third base, Eugenio Suarez is a free agent.
“The Mariners are going to try and run it back in 2026 and their top priority this offseason is to re-sign first baseman Josh Naylor,” writes The Athletic’s Jim Bowden.
Suarez is a trickier case. He didn’t hit well for Seattle after being traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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Bowden actually suggests an alternative plan for the Mariners: Go after Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette.
Bichette has been a shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays, but he’s viewed as someone who will move off that position sooner rather than later.
Of hitters in the non-Kyle Tucker category, Bichette may command the biggest contract this offseason, somewhere near $200 million.
Bregman opted out of his $120 million contract with the Red Sox to pursue something new in free agency.
Whether the Mariners could sign one of those players would likely depend on how big Naylor’s contract comes in. But if there’s room on the balance sheet, either Bichette or Bregman would be a huge fish for the Mariners to land.
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