MLB free agency is rapidly approaching. For the Seattle Mariners, they are still trying to get the sour taste of losing game seven in the ALCS out of their mouth, but the offseason is now for the front office.
When Seattle traded for both Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez, they were aware that both were rental additions and would be hitting the open market following the season. Now that it’s the offseason for the M’s, they will have to decide on what to do with both players.
Mariners predicted to retain Josh Naylor; Lose Eugenio Suárez.
In a recent free agency predictions piece by Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, the Mariners are predicted to retain only one of their prominent free agents:
“Prediction: Naylor re-signs with the Mariners; Suárez signs with the Texas Rangers.”
Josh Naylor feels more inclined to return than Suárez. Suárez is 34, and coming off a career season where he smashed 49 home runs. After he was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks, it was expected that he would seek other suitors in free agency.
As for Josh Naylor, he has mentioned to the media that he would like to stay in Seattle if things work out on the contract front.
Suárez may also be more inclined to leave because of how tough it is to hit in T-Mobile Park as a righty. In 53 games with Seattle, he hit just 13 home runs, as opposed to 39 long balls with Arizona. A return to Arizona is certainly plausible for Suárez, but the Rangers are also a team searching for some infield help.
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