Red Sox Rumors: Suarez, Bichette, Valdez, Rotation
The Red Sox are still reeling from Alex Bregman‘s departure for the Cubs but have minimal time to lick their wounds. The free agent and trade markets have begun to pick up some steam, and whatever Boston’s pivot from losing Bregman will be, it’ll need to come together before terribly long. The Bregman deal and the trade of Nolan Arenado from St. Louis to Arizona both figure to get the ball rolling with regard to the infield market. There are also indications that the market for top free agent Kyle Tucker is gaining steam as well. Even though Tucker understandably isn’t a target for a Red Sox team that’s deep in lefty-swinging outfielders, reports of him nearing a decision only give further credence to the idea that the market will accelerate with pitchers and catchers just a month from reporting to spring training.
It’s not entirely clear how Boston will look to counteract Bregman’s defection just yet. Both Bo Bichette and Eugenio Suarez have been mentioned as possible fallback options. The fit in either case makes sense. Both swing right-handed and have batted-ball profiles that would fit well at Fenway Park. Suarez could step into Bregman’s spot at third base. Bichette could play third base or second base. Former top prospects Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell could factor in at whichever of those two positions is not filled externally.
Sean McAdam and Chris Cotillo of MassLive provide some context in their latest column, as does Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Per McAdam and Cotillo, the Red Sox showed preliminary interest in Suarez earlier in the offseason but were first waiting to see how the markets for not only Bregman but also Ketel Marte and Jorge Polanco played out. Suarez’s camp is operating under the assumption that there’s some interest and will soon be told whether the Sox plan to make a serious bid, per the report. Speier’s report generally backs up that line of thinking; he writes that the Red Sox have viewed Suarez as a fallback and had not seriously engaged with his camp prior to Bregman’s signing.
Suarez, 35 in July, popped 49 homers last season but hit .228/.298/.526 overall. He once graded as a strong defender at the hot corner but has seen his defensive grades slip as he’s aged into his mid-30s — as is often the case. His thunderous right-handed power and pull-happy approach make him a natural fit at Fenway Park, where he could pummel the Green Monster with line drives and clear it with regularity, but Suarez finished the season on a down note; his production waned after a trade from the D-backs to the Mariners last summer. After hitting .248/.320/.576 with a 26.8% strikeout rate for the Snakes, he posted a .189/.255/.428 slash with a 36% strikeout rate in 53 games for the M’s.
At the outset of free agency, MLBTR predicted a three-year deal worth a bit more than $20MM annually for Suarez. That contract seemed likely if a team were to make him a priority. That he’s been viewed as something of a fallback to sluggers like Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso, as well as top infield free agents like Bregman and Bichette, would at least seem to imply that a two-year deal may now be likelier. A two-year contract certainly would align with the Red Sox’ apparent aversion to long-term deals for players in their 30s, but Boston will face competition in signing him. The Mariners remain open to a reunion, and the Pirates, who’ve spent the offseason searching for power upgrades, have interest as well.
The Sox will face competition with regard to Bichette, too — if they plan to pursue him at all. Bichette is 27 and won’t turn 28 until March. His age makes him a candidate to sign the type of long-term deal the Red Sox have been reluctant to put forth to free agents. Both the MassLive and Globe reports cast significant doubt on whether the Red Sox would actually engage in a legitimate bidding war with a team like the Phillies, who met with Bichette just yesterday and are far more comfortable doling out long-term contracts (at least based on recent history).
Depending on how or even if the Red Sox end up accomplishing their goal of adding another hitter, a reallocation of the funds previously earmarked for Bregman could come into play. Both MassLive and the Globe suggest that a pivot to the rotation is something the Sox could now pursue. Speier suggests that the Sox are “open-minded” with regard to the position another impact player could fill. That could mean the rotation or, speculatively speaking, perhaps a run at improving the catching corps. J.T. Realmuto is still a free agent, and the Phillies reportedly don’t think they can sign both Bichette and Realmuto.
If the Sox pivot to the rotation, there are still some notable names on the market. Tim Healey of the Boston Globe reports that as far back as November, Red Sox brass had an in-person sit-down with Framber Valdez‘s camp. That meeting came at the GM Meetings, where Valdez reportedly met with at least the Giants and Orioles as well.
Valdez, 32 next year, might not have been a top target after the Red Sox acquired Sonny Gray and pivoted to upgrading the lineup. However, he’d fit the stated goal of adding a No. 2 starter for a playoff series more directly than Gray. A postseason rotation with options including Garrett Crochet, Valdez, Gray and Brayan Bello would be quite strong, and it’s always possible that a touted young arm like Payton Tolle or Connelly Early forces his way into the mix.
Valdez became a free agent for the first time this offseason when he rejected a qualifying offer from the Astros, the only organization he’s ever known. He’s topped 190 innings in three of the past four seasons, pitching to a collective 3.21 ERA in 767 2/3 frames along the way. Valdez’s strikeout rate, walk rate and especially his 60% ground-ball rate have all been far better than the league average during that four-year span.
Signing Valdez, however, would require the Red Sox to punt their second- and fifth-highest selections in this summer’s draft, as well as $1MM of space in next year’s bonus pool for international free agent amateurs. The same is true of longtime Phillies southpaw Ranger Suarez and longtime D-backs righty Zac Gallen, both of whom rejected QOs as well. Whether they’d make those future concessions while simultaneously easing their reluctance to commit long-term deals to veterans in their 30s is an open question, but the Red Sox have now missed out on Bregman, Alonso and Schwarber in free agency, and top trade target Marte doesn’t sound like he’ll be moved at all. They’ll need to find a new plan of attack in the coming days, particularly with offseason activity picking back up following the annual holiday-season lull.
Pirates Interested In Eugenio Suarez
The Pirates have already added several new bats to their lineup, but the team isn’t done in its search for more offense. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Pirates are interested in Eugenio Suarez, though Mackey has doubts that the club will be able to win the bidding for the veteran slugger.
The fit is obvious, as Pittsburgh finished 30th of 30 teams in home runs (117), slugging percentage (.350), and isolated power (.119). Suarez finished fifth in the majors in both homers (49) and isolated power (.248), and his .526 SLG ranked 10th among all qualified batters. In terms of pure offensive production, Suarez was dragged down by a .228 batting average and .298 on-base percentage, and he continued to post one of the higher strikeout rates of any batter in the game.
Suarez’s 2025 production fell off drastically after the deadline trade that sent him from the Diamondbacks to the Mariners. Though he posted bigger numbers in a prior stint in Seattle and Suarez’s strikeouts have made him prone to streaky play, seeing Suarez decline so sharply after moving to a pitcher-friendly ballpark must be a concern for the Pirates about how Suarez might fare at PNC Park. Suarez is also 34 years old, so a steadier decline phase is a risk for signing a player of his age to a multi-year contract.
MLB Trade Rumors placed Suarez 20th on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents, and projected him to sign a three-year, $63MM free agent deal. While Suarez’s age, one-dimensional offense, and increasingly shaky third base defense were considered in the projection, the fact is that Suarez’s pure power is hard to find. Suarez’s well-regarded reputation as a clubhouse leader is another plus for a young Pirates team that can use some experience on and off the field.
As often mentioned when discussing the Pirates and any target on the open market, Francisco Liriano‘s three-year, $39MM from December 2014 remains the largest contract the Bucs have ever given to a free agent. Ryan O’Hearn‘s two-year, $29MM deal from a couple of weeks ago at least approached that dubious record, and the Pirates’ nine-figure bid on Kyle Schwarber from earlier this winter indicates that Pittsburgh is willing to stretch its limited budget to try and solve its offensive woes.
Between the O’Hearn signing and the trades that brought Brandon Lowe, Jhostynxon García, and Jake Mangum into the black-and-gold, the Bucs have already done quite a bit to bolster their league-worst offense. Installing Suarez at third base would be the biggest move yet, and the fact that Suarez’s market has seemed a little limited to date might work in the Pirates’ favor.
The Mariners, Red Sox, and Cubs are the only teams known to be interested in Suarez, though any number of other clubs might be on the periphery. Seattle has enough other third base candidates that it seemed their interest in hot corner help is limited to Suarez specifically, while the Sox and Cubs are two of Alex Bregman‘s suitors. Kazuma Okamoto was known to be one of Pittsburgh’s prime targets, but the third baseman instead signed with the Blue Jays, leaving the Pirates perhaps more likely to make a run at Suarez.
Mariners Remain Interested In Re-Signing Eugenio Suarez
Of the Mariners’ three primary position-player free agents, Josh Naylor returned to the team on a five-year, $92.5MM contract, and Jorge Polanco headed to the Mets on a two-year, $40MM deal. This leaves Eugenio Suarez on the open market, and in an interview with MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said there’s “certainly a chance” Suarez could join Naylor for another stint in the Pacific Northwest.
“We love Geno. Geno brings a ton not just on the field, the things that people see…but off the field,” Hollander said. “His steady presence, great makeup, [and] what he brings to a clubhouse every day, it’s really hard to replicate. So we’ve maintained contact with Geno’s reps all winter long.”
Re-signing Naylor was known to be Seattle’s clear priority as the offseason began, with reports indicating that Polanco and Suarez (in that order) were the next items on the checklist. The fact that Naylor signed in mid-November allowed the M’s some extra flexibility in accessing the rest of the market, and talks with Polanco reportedly saw the Mariners make a two-year offer at least in the range of the Mets’ $40MM figure.
It isn’t known if the Mariners made any kind of concrete offer to Suarez to perhaps see which of Suarez or Polanco accepted first, or if the M’s held off on diving too deeply into talks with Suarez until Polanco’s fate was decided. Even with Polanco now off the market, Seattle has also been linked to such prominent trade targets as Brendan Donovan and Ketel Marte, so it could be that any substantive negotiations with Suarez are being held off until one or both of these infielders are dealt, or if talks with the Cardinals or Diamondbacks fall apart.
If Suarez did return to the Mariners, he would likely be used more as a DH than as a regular third baseman. Depending on the defensive metric of your choice, Suarez has been generally an average to below-average third baseman for several years now, and both Defensive Runs Saved (-6) and Outs Above Average (-3) weren’t impressed by his glovework in 2025. The M’s have enough good internal third base options that the team has been looking mostly at second base help, and Suarez might be pretty much the only free agent third baseman on Seattle’s radar due to his past history with the franchise.
The Cubs and Red Sox have also been linked to Suarez’s market this winter, but again, it isn’t known if either of these teams or any other suitors have put a contract on the table for the 34-year-old slugger. It has been a fairly cool market for a player coming off a 49-homer season, yet Suarez’s age, high strikeout rates, and subpar defense are red flags for any team considering a long-term commitment. It also didn’t help that Suarez’s production dipped heavily after he was dealt from the Diamondbacks to the Mariners at the trade deadline.
MLB Trade Rumors still ranked Suarez 20th on our list of the winter’s top 50 free agents, and projected him to land a three-year, $63MM deal. That contract still seems possible since there’s still plenty of time left in the offseason, and the market undoubtedly has plenty of twists and turns as free agents come off the board and other players change teams on the trade market. While a hometown discount may or may not be feasible, it is fair to guess that Suarez might favor the Mariners over other teams, due to his familiarity with the clubhouse and the likelihood that Seattle will again be postseason contenders in 2026 and beyond.
Red Sox Have Had Talks With Eugenio Suárez
As the Red Sox look to add power to their lineup, they’ve talked internally about the possibility of signing Eugenio Suárez and held some talks with his camp, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports. The team’s interest in Suárez is all the more notable with the market’s top slugger, Kyle Schwarber, off the board on a five-year deal that’ll keep in Philadelphia. The Red Sox were known to have interest in Schwarber.
Speier frames Suarez as something of a fallback at third base, should Alex Bregman sign elsewhere, or a possible piece of the first base (and, presumably, designated hitter) puzzle. Playing Suárez full-time or even semi-regularly at first base might be a stretch, though the D-backs and Mariners both gave him short looks there in 2025. That was a total of only six innings — the first of his career — but some have speculated that Suárez could slide across the diamond as he moves into his mid-30s. Regular work at DH would only be feasible if the Sox were to find a taker for Masataka Yoshida.
Suárez, 34, ranked fifth among all big leaguers with 49 home runs this past season, trailing only Shohei Ohtani, Schwarber, Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge. He hit .228/.298/.526 on the season as a whole, though that production was weighed down a bit by some struggles in the immediate aftermath of a trade from Arizona back to Seattle. Suárez stumbled out of the gate in his return to the Emerald City, slashing an anemic .141/.188/.266 in his first 69 plate appearances. To some extent, he turned things around thereafter, popping 11 homers over his final 151 plate appearances, but he did so with a huge strikeout rate and sub-.300 OBP.
That sort of stretch is par for the course with Suárez, a prodigious slugger who’s prone to strikeouts. In past seasons, his walk rate has helped to compensate for some of that swing-and-miss penchant. That’s not quite been the case in 2024-25, as Suárez’s walk rate has dipped to a slightly below-average 7.3%.
Suárez still makes tons of loud contact (90.2 mph average exit velocity, 47.6% hard-hit rate), but he chased off the plate at a career-high 31% clip last season — a significant problem for a hitter whose 39% contact rate on pitches off the plate was among the lowest in baseball. That poor contact rate when chasing isn’t a backbreaker in and of itself, but it is when coupled with such a prominent propensity to chase. Judge, for instance, had the worst contact rate among all qualified hitters on balls off the plate, per Statcast. However, he chased just 22.3% of such offerings.
Concerns about his OBP and strikeouts notwithstanding, Suárez clearly has some of the most power in the game. And, at 34 years of age (35 next July), he’s not going to exceed three years on his next contract and could plausibly command only two with a premium annual value. Suárez is also revered as a teammate, which played a role in the Mariners’ desire to reacquire him after originally trading him when ownership mandated payroll cuts following the 2023 season.
It doesn’t sound as though Suárez is Boston’s top option, but the Red Sox join the Cubs and incumbent Mariners as known teams intrigued by the righty-swinging slugger’s thunderous power so far this offseason.
Cubs Have Interest In Eugenio Suarez
The Cubs have interest in Eugenio Suarez as they explore the third base market, according to a report from Francys Romero of Beisbol FR.
While Chicago doesn’t appear to be getting involved in the sweepstakes for outgoing superstar Kyle Tucker, that doesn’t mean they won’t be active in other areas of free agency this winter. The Cubs haven’t been shy about their focus being on adding a starter to the front half of their rotation, and they’ve been connected to players like Michael King, Tatsuya Imai, Zac Gallen, and Ranger Suarez amid those efforts. They also remain in the market for bullpen help even after signing Phil Maton and missing out on Ryan Helsley when the latter signed in Baltimore last month.
While the focus on Chicago’s offseason seems to primarily be on pitching, bolstering a lineup that appears poised to lose Tucker makes plenty of sense. The Cubs have been connected to Alex Bregman with relative frequency in recent days after being one of the final teams in on his market last winter. After a solid but unspectacular (93 wRC+, 1.5 fWAR) season from Matt Shaw at the hot corner last year and with second baseman Nico Hoerner ticketed for free agency after the 2026 season, it’s easy to see why the Cubs might want to bolster their infield mix this winter.
As for Suarez himself, he’d surely be a more affordable option than Bregman. The 34-year-old is coming off one of the best seasons of his career as he slugged 49 home runs and posted a 125 wRC+, but his market has been relatively quiet to this point in the winter. The Mariners are open to reuniting with Suarez, but are seemingly prioritizing a potential reunion with Jorge Polanco at this point. Teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Brewers, and Astros were connected to Suarez on the trade market over the summer, but there have been no connections drawn between Suarez and any of those teams this offseason. That’s not necessarily a surprise, of course; trading for a few months of a player just before they hit free agency is a very different decision than signing them to what could be a multi-year commitment.
Even so, the fit between the Cubs and Suarez is a fairly apparent one. He would help boost the Cubs’ offense and provide cover for Shaw at third base, just as Bregman would, though he likely wouldn’t command nearly as much of a commitment in terms of years or dollars. MLBTR predicted Suarez would land a deal worth three years and $63MM in free agency this winter as part of our Top 50 MLB Free Agents list, where Suarez ranked 20th. By contrast, MLBTR’s prediction for Bregman (ranked 5th in this year’s class) landed at six years and $160MM. That difference can be attributed to the fact that Bregman is two years younger than Suarez and has been much more consistent throughout his career, in addition to being a significantly better defender at third base.
Even with Suarez’s flaws, that discrepancy in price tag could make him an appealing alternative to Bregman for a few reasons. The Cubs have treated the first luxury tax threshold as something of a soft cap in recent years, and according to RosterResource the club has just under $197MM in commitments for luxury tax purposes in 2026. The difference in AAV on MLBTR’s contract predictions for Suarez and Bregman sits at just under $6MM. That’s a relatively small amount compared to the roughly $46MM between the Cubs’ current spending level and the first threshold of the luxury tax, but that wiggle room could be meaningful if the team also looks to add a rotation arm in free agency.
Additionally, Chicago has seemingly been hesitant to add significant money to the books long-term outside of Dansby Swanson‘s contract with the club. Maton (signed through 2027) became just the second player on the roster signed to a guaranteed deal beyond the 2026 season. While it stands to reason that more are likely to come throughout this winter, it’s fair to think the Cubs might value the long-term flexibility signing someone like Suarez would provide given how they’ve constructed the rest of their roster. For example, if the Cubs were interested in either extending Hoerner or re-signing him next offseason, committing to a multi-year deal for their second baseman might seem more palatable with a short-term deal for Suarez on the books rather than a long-term deal for Bregman.
It should be noted that while the Cubs have only been directly connected to Suarez and Bregman so far, they’re far from the only two third basemen who figure to be available this winter. NPB star Kazuma Okamoto is set to come over from Japan this winter and has spent most of his career at the hot corner. The aforementioned Polanco also has some limited experience at the hot corner. KBO infielder Sung Mun Song, veteran Yoan Moncada, utility man Willi Castro and former Gold Glover Ramon Urias are among the lower-tier third base capable players on the market this winter.
Mariners Remain Interested In Jorge Polanco After Naylor Deal
The Mariners have made the biggest move of free agency to date, re-signing Josh Naylor to a five-year deal. The $92.5MM commitment was handily their biggest to a free agent hitter in the decade that Jerry Dipoto has run baseball operations. Seattle’s goal of retaining as much of their 2025 roster as possible continues, as Dipoto told reporters at the press conference announcing the Naylor deal that the team is still interested in re-signing Jorge Polanco.
“Polo’ is a great guy, and we have been in touch with him and his (agency),” Dipoto said (link via Adam Jude of The Seattle Times). “I don’t imagine that it’s going to move as fast as it moved with Josh.” Seattle also hasn’t closed the door on bringing Eugenio Suárez, Jude writes, but it appears Polanco is more of a primary focus.
Seattle brought the switch-hitting Polanco back on a $6MM deal last winter. They were rewarded for their faith that his down 2024 season was due to playing through a meniscus injury in his left knee. Polanco popped 26 homers with a .265/.326/.495 batting line over 524 plate appearances. He spent most of his time at designated hitter to keep him healthy but got more regular run at second base in September and into the postseason.
Polanco is going to command a much stronger contract this time around. He’s a lock for at least two years. MLBTR predicted a three-year, $42MM contract covering his age 32-34 seasons. That price point would have been the M’s largest deal for a free agent hitter under Dipoto until the Naylor signing. It seems there’s still room in the budget for a mid-tier free agent deal of that ilk even with Naylor on the books for $16.5MM next season ($10MM salary plus a $6.5MM signing bonus).
Ryan Bliss, Cole Young and Leo Rivas are the second base options for the time being. Top infield prospect Colt Emerson is looming after hitting .285/.383/.458 between the top three minor league levels as a 19-year-old. Emerson seems likelier to break in at third base, where light-hitting Ben Williamson projects as the starter. That could change if the Mariners are unable to re-sign Polanco and wind up focusing on Suárez instead.
Mariners Notes: Naylor, Polanco, Suarez
The Mariners have not exactly been shy about their desire to re-sign first baseman Josh Naylor as he heads into free agency this winter. For a club that seemingly does not have much financial flexibility this offseason, that could take up the majority of Seattle’s budget space, and would seemingly make reunions with second baseman Jorge Polanco and third baseman Eugenio Suarez unlikely. Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times offered some additional perspective on the club’s trio of pending free agent infielders yesterday that suggests things may not be that simple, however.
While Naylor has been emphasized as the club’s priority, Divish suggests that it’s possible Polanco actually winds up being the one most likely to sign. That’s in part due to Naylor’s age, with Divish noting that he’s likely to seek a deal longer than three years in free agency. That’s the sort of contract that has typically fallen outside of Seattle’s comfort zone under Dipoto in free agency, although it’s not hard to imagine that the Mariners might view Naylor as an exception to that. After all, the club has been willing to go far beyond the two years and $24MM Mitch Garver deal that remains Dipoto’s largest expenditure in free agency when it comes to extensions. Luis Castillo extended on a five-year deal in his age-29 season, while Cal Raleigh‘s six-year extension came in his age-28 campaign.
Naylor won’t turn 29 until next June, so committing to a player who has already spent time in the organization on a deal that takes him to his age-32 or -33 season is hardly unthinkable in a vacuum. Even so, it’s undeniable that Polanco’s contract is far more likely to fall into the Mariners’ typical comfort zone when it comes to free agents. Divish writes that Polanco is likely to command a contract “similar” to the aforementioned Garver deal and that he’s unlikely to receive a third guaranteed year on his next contract. There’s some logic to that assumption given the tough market Polanco found in free agency last winter, although he’s coming off a much stronger season in 2025 even has he heads into his age-32 campaign.
With that said, if the Mariners will attempt to wait out the market on their three infielders in order to try and bring one back at a relative bargain, Polanco standing as the most likely one to fall through the cracks due to his age, injury history, and previous struggles on the open market would make some sense. At the very least, that sort of scenario seems to be the kind of situation where Divish sees a reunion between the Mariners and Suarez as a possibility. Divish writes that, as Suarez heads into his age-34 season with his 35th birthday coming next July, a contract that keeps him in Seattle beyond one additional year seems “unlikely.” Coming off a season where he clubbed 49 home runs and made his second career All-Star appearance, it’s hard to imagine that Suarez won’t be able to get at least a two-year deal in free agency this winter barring a surprisingly cold market.
Given Seattle’s apparent financial limitations, it’s hard to imagine more than one of their trio of free agent infielders returning in 2026 unless a trade opens up additional payroll space this winter. RosterResource projects them for a $132MM payroll in 2025 as things stand, roughly $31MM below their stated target. While it’s at least theoretically possible that two of the three could fit within that budget without shedding salary, it would leave them with virtually no room to maneuver beyond that.
That would be a problem when other areas of the roster could use attention besides the infield, as Divish floats the possibility of bringing in relief help to fortify a bullpen that will lose Caleb Ferguson this winter or perhaps making an addition in the outfield, where Victor Robles and Dominic Canzone currently appear poised to platoon in right, as other possible avenues for the Mariners to upgrade this winter. Even if Robles and Canzone remain in place as the likely duo in right field, finding a platoon partner for Luke Raley at DH or upgrading the bench could be worthwhile pursuits to explore as well.
Mariners Expected To Prioritize Josh Naylor In Free Agency
The Mariners’ season ended with heartbreak in Game 7 of the ALCS versus the Blue Jays, and they’ll now turn their focus to an offseason aimed at building upon what was clearly a World Series-caliber roster (even if they fell just short). They’ll be faced with several key free agent departures — Eugenio Suarez, Josh Naylor and Jorge Polanco chief among them. Per both Daniel Kramer of MLB.com and Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, Naylor is the team’s top priority among all of its potential free agents.
The 28-year-old Naylor (29 next June) was outstanding after being acquired in a deal sending young pitchers Ashton Izzi and Brandyn Garcia back to Arizona. Already in the midst of a nice season with the D-backs (.292/.360/.447), Naylor found another gear in the Emerald City, erupting for a .299/.341/.490 slash (137 wRC+) and astonishingly stealing nearly as many bases (19) in 54 games as he had in his entire career prior (25).
In many ways, Naylor embodies the approach the Mariners have sought in recent offseasons where improving the club’s contact skills has been a goal (one that’s largely eluded them). He punched out in only 13.7% of his plate appearances this year (16.2% with the Mariners) and carries just a 15.2% strikeout rate dating all the way back to 2020. He’s not a traditional slugging first baseman, but Naylor is typically good for around 20 homers per seasons — he hit nine in his 54 games with the M’s — and does have a 31-homer campaign on his résumé with the 2024 Guardians.
Heading into his age-29 season and coming off a career-best year with no qualifying offer attached — he’s ineligible to receive one after being traded midseason — Naylor will be a hot commodity in free agency. In president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto’s nearly a decade running baseball operations in Seattle, he has only given out one multi-year deal to a free agent position player, that being Mitch Garver‘s modest two-year, $24MM pact a couple offseasons ago. Clearly, that will need to change in order to retain Naylor.
That said, Dipoto told MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald on our podcast last month that the Mariners have definite interest in keeping Naylor long-term and believe the feeling is mutual. Dipoto noted that Naylor is “as good as anybody that’s played in the last handful of years at hitting [at T-Mobile Park]” — notoriously one of the most pitcher-friendly stadiums in the game. Naylor himself spoke about that to Jude’s colleague Ryan Divish last month, too, stating that as a visitor he “couldn’t wait” to come to T-Mobile Park and emphasizing how much he enjoys the stadium and the atmosphere created by the fan base. He used the word “awesome” multiple times in his more recent chat with Kramer and Jude about his experience in Seattle and the “ride-or-die” mentality of Seattle fans.
Even with mutual interest, the Mariners will have to extend well beyond their prior comfort levels in free agency to keep Naylor. At just 28 years old and coming off four straight seasons of well above-average offense, he should be in position to command a deal of at least four and possibly up to six years in length. In all likelihood, Seattle will need to more than triple and perhaps quadruple its investment to Garver in order to keep Naylor. Currently, the M’s have about $139MM on next year’s books (once Andres Munoz‘s option is exercised), per RosterResource, though non-tenders and trades will surely impact that sum. They finished up the current season at about $166MM in payroll.
To be clear, the Mariners have signed players to lucrative long-term deals under Dipoto — just not specifically free agent position players. Left-hander Robbie Ray signed a five-year, $115MM deal in free agency following his Cy Young win back in 2021. The Mariners extended Luis Castillo on a five-year, $108MM deal after acquiring him from the Reds in a deadline swap. And of course, homegrown stars Cal Raleigh (six years, $105MM) and Julio Rodriguez (12 years, $210MM) signed nine-figure extensions to remain in Seattle for the long haul.
That the Mariners will prioritize Naylor over other free agents doesn’t necessarily make it a foregone conclusion that Polanco and Suarez will depart. Both Jude and Kramer suggest that with top prospect Colt Emerson and slick-fielding Ben Williamson in the mix at third base, re-signing Suarez on a weighty multi-year deal that covers his mid-30s is unlikely. However, both also note interest in retaining Polanco, who enjoyed a remarkable rebound campaign after re-signing on the heels of a 2024 season that was ruined by a knee injury.
Polanco underwent surgery last October and roared back into relevance this year with a .265/.326/.495 batting line (132 wRC+) and 26 homers during the regular season. He added three more postseason homers, including a pair of long balls against likely AL Cy Young winner (for the second consecutive season) Tarik Skubal.
The Mariners have a high-upside long-term option at second base in former first-round pick and top prospect Cole Young, but the 22-year-old Young hit just .211/.302/.305 in his first 77 MLB games this year. Even if Young is the long-term answer at second base — and some early struggles in fewer than 300 plate appearances hardly erodes the chances of that happening — Seattle could bring Polanco back as a primary designated hitter and part-time infielder. That’s the role he filled in 2025, tallying 88 games at DH, 38 at second base, five at third base and even one at first base.
As with Naylor, Polanco would require the Mariners to commit a multi-year deal, although not nearly on the same scale. Polanco will turn 33 early next July. A deal for him seems likely to be capped at three years, particularly when considering his recent injury troubles. He’d still require a more sizable commitment than the one made to Garver in free agency two years ago, but not by an especially large margin.
Mariners brass is set to talk with the media at an end-of-season press conference later this morning (1oam PT), and they’ll surely touch on this and a broad range of topics as they look ahead to the offseason, so there could be a fair bit of Mariners news emerging in the very near future.
MLBTR Podcast: Sifting Through The Trade Deadline Deals
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams and Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to go over the various deadline dealings, including…
- The Padres acquiring Mason Miller, JP Sears, Ryan O’Hearn, Ramón Laureano, Nestor Cortes, Freddy Fermin and Will Wagner, while not trading Dylan Cease nor Robert Suarez (1:20)
- The Athletics sending out Miller and Sears, getting a pile of prospects, headlined by Leo De Vries (25:20)
- The Twins trading a bunch of rentals but also Jhoan Durán, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland and Carlos Correa (31:50)
- The Astros taking on Correa despite previously trying to avoid the competitive balance tax (50:05)
- The Phillies’ deadline (58:25)
- The Mariners acquiring Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez from the Diamondbacks (1:00:40)
- The Diamondbacks trading Merrill Kelly but not Zac Gallen (1:07:45)
- The Rangers’ deadline (1:16:00)
- The Mets acquiring various relievers, including Tyler Rogers from the Giants (1:19:05)
- The Yankees acquiring Camilo Doval, David Bednar and Jake Bird (1:25:45)
- The Pirates holding several trade candidates but they did trade Ke’Bryan Hayes to the Reds (1:35:15)
- The Blue Jays acquiring Shane Bieber and Varland (1:43:40)
- The Red Sox acquiring Dustin May from the Dodgers (1:54:20)
- The underwhelming deadlines of the Cubs and Tigers (1:59:40)
Check out our past episodes!
- Megapod Trade Deadline Preview – listen here
- David Robertson, Trade Chips For The O’s and A’s, And What The Rangers Could Do – listen here
- Rays’ Ownership, The Phillies Target Bullpen Help, And Bubble Teams – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
Photo courtesy of Chadd Cady, Imagn Images
Astros Interested In Carlos Correa Reunion
July 31: Nightengale reports that the talks between the two clubs are “all but dead,” adding that Houston asked Minnesota to pay “about $50MM” of the $102.5MM remaining in Correa’s contract and also asked for an outfielder to be included in the deal. Nightengale adds that the Twins rejected that offer and “aren’t budging” from that position. Rome reports (alongside The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal) that talks between the sides have continued despite both sides downplaying the likelihood of a trade.
July 30, 12:37pm: The Astros approached the Twins about the possibility, Chandler Rome and Dan Hayes of The Athletic report. Astros owner Jim Crane has “remained a fan” of Correa since his departure, they note, adding that the Twins believe Houston is perhaps the only destination to which Correa would green-light a trade. Nightengale adds that Correa indeed would be open to returning to Houston and playing third base there. That said, Hayes and Rome echo Passan in writing that the two sides are far apart and a deal is not at all close.
12:07pm: The Twins and Astros have indeed talked about the possibility of a Correa trade but aren’t close to an agreement, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports.
9:52am: As the Astros seek help in the infield following injuries to Isaac Paredes and Jeremy Pena, they’ve looked into the possibility of bringing Carlos Correa back to Houston, as first reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes that the two parties have had discussions on the possibility. MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart adds that Houston’s interest “is real.” Nightengale adds that Houston remains interested in Eugenio Suárez as well and has at least weighed the possibility of another run at Nolan Arenado.
The Correa scenario presents a fascinating, if unexpected wrinkle to this summer’s deadline market. In the offseason, Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey downplayed the possibility of trading his shortstop, and Correa himself voiced an affinity for Minnesota when asked about his no-trade clause at the time.
It’s fair to wonder whether either party’s stance has changed. The Twins have struggled through a sub-.500 four months of baseball and have minimal hope of reaching the postseason. The Pohlad family is exploring a sale of the team, and while that was true over the winter as well, the former front-runner to purchase the Twins, Justin Ishbia, has since instead reached a long-term agreement to become the majority stakeholder in the White Sox (where he was already a minority owner). On Correa’s end of things, returning to his original organization and jumping back into a playoff race would presumably be appealing.
Correa is still owed significant money. He signed a six-year, $200MM deal with four vesting options prior to the 2023 season. He’ll make a combined $92MM from 2026-28 and also still has about $11.6MM of this year’s salary yet to be paid out. The Twins would almost certainly have to pay down a portion of the contract to make a deal work.
Even if Minnesota did so, however, adding Correa back to the roster in Houston would send the Astros soaring past the luxury tax threshold. They’re currently about $4.5MM shy of that barrier, per RosterResource. Owner Jim Crane was steadfastly against exceeding the tax threshold in the offseason — at least in most scenarios. His lone exception, it seemed, would have been for a reunion with Alex Bregman. Whether Crane is feeling more urgency due to Houston’s litany of injuries or simply harbors some sentimentality for another former Astros star, one has to imagine he’s grown more comfortable crossing the tax threshold.
That Correa is in the midst of a sub-par season only further muddies the water. The 30-year-old hit brilliantly for the Twins last year in an injury-shortened campaign, batting .310/.388/.517 with his typical brand of strong defense at shortstop. He’s rebounded from a poor start in 2025 to an extent, but Correa’s .267/.319/.386 slash is slightly under league average (97 wRC+). Over his past 274 plate appearances, Correa is hitting .300 with a .350 on-base percentage but just a .423 slugging percentage. His power is down substantially this season, in part because his ground-ball rate has spiked to a 48.5% — its highest level in five years.
A renewed run at Arenado would register as something of a surprise. Arenado invoked his no-trade clause to nix a trade to Houston over the winter. Now that the Astros are in first place, he’d likely be more open to a move there. However, he’s in the midst of a third straight down year at the plate and is still owed substantial money.
Arenado, 34, is hitting a career-worst .235/.295/.367 in 390 plate appearances. By measure of wRC+, he’s been 16% worse than average at the plate. He remains a strong defensive third baseman but no longer draws top-of-the-scale grades from defensive metrics. He’s earning $32MM this year, $27MM next year and $15MM in 2027. It’s a steep price to pay for a former All-Star whose bat is has been on the downswing for several years now. The Cardinals would need to eat a major portion of the contract, but there’s still enough left on the deal that Arenado, too, would surely put Houston over the luxury threshold.
Suárez, owed $4.8MM for the remainder of the season, might not quite put the Astros over that edge, though the Diamondbacks could always include some cash to coax a more favorable return. The bidding on the 34-year-old slugger will be fierce, however, and Houston’s farm system is not as well regarded as some of the other teams who’ll be vying for Suárez and his 36 home runs. The Mariners, Cubs, Tigers, Phillies and Reds are among the teams also pursuing him.
Paredes could miss the remainder of the season — Nightengale notes that surgery is a consideration — but he’s controlled for an additional two years. Pena is on the mend from fractured ribs but is also controlled through 2027. Given the Astros’ multiple years of control over the left side of their infield, Suárez represents a cleaner fit than either Correa or Arenado. Paredes could slide over to second base in subsequent seasons if the Astros wind up with a new infielder who’s signed beyond the current season, but he’s played the vast majority of his career at third base.
Correa’s name hasn’t come up until this point, but the Twins are expected to be active sellers over the next two days. Righty Chris Paddack was already moved to the Tigers, and rental players like Willi Castro, Harrison Bader and Danny Coulombe are all expected to change hands as well. The more interesting element is whether the Twins will cave and trade anyone controlled longer-term. Relievers Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax have been two of the most sought-after names on the bullpen market, and any contending team would love to add righty Joe Ryan to its rotation. All three are controlled through 2027, however. Add in the new possibility of a Correa deal, and there’s plenty for the Minnesota front office to do over the next day and a half.