As the saying goes, “all good things must come to an end.” For Mariners fans, that sentiment captures both the emotional close to the team’s playoff run and, in a more literal sense, the end of Josh Naylor’s time under team control.
After an outstanding second half in which he recorded a 138 OPS+ and followed it up with a .967 OPS in the postseason, Naylor is now set to hit free agency.
Given how vital he was to Seattle’s success, re-signing him will likely be a top priority for the front office. However, with a potential price tag north of $100 million, the Mariners may need to shed some contracts to make room in their tight budget. Here are a few deals that could be moved to clear salary space.
3 players who could be roster sacrifices to allow the Mariners to keep Josh Naylor
Luis Castillo
The five-year, $108 million extension Luis Castillo signed in 2022 is gradually turning into a financial burden for Seattle. He was the team’s highest-paid player this season, and the Mariners still owe him $48 million over the next two years, plus a $25 million vesting option in 2028 that depends on his health and workload between 2025 and 2027.
While Castillo’s overall numbers remain respectable, there are clear signs of decline — particularly in the velocity and effectiveness of his fastball.
With the Mariners boasting a deep pool of pitching talent, Castillo could become a trade candidate for a team in greater need of veteran stability.
Seattle might rely on a short-term rental starter next season, but with promising arms like Kade Anderson, Jurrangelo Cijntje, and Ryan Sloan on the rise, the rotation could soon feature younger, cheaper, and potentially better options.
Offloading the $73 million still potentially owed to Castillo over the next three years could easily cover the cost of re-signing Josh Naylor, though finding a trade partner willing to take on a declining pitcher with a large contract will be no small task.
Randy Arozarena
Overall, Arozarena turned in a solid season for the Mariners, recording a 119 OPS+ along with 27 home runs and 31 stolen bases.
However, his production dipped late in the year, and he was unable to recover. After posting just a .596 OPS in the final month of the regular season, he slumped to a .571 OPS in the postseason—far from the 1.138 OPS he put up in 123 playoff plate appearances with the Rays.
Despite his talent and overall value, Arozarena’s projected $18.2 million arbitration salary, according to MLB Trade Rumors, might be more than Seattle is willing to pay—especially with his free agency looming after 2026.
With top prospect Lazaro Montes nearing the majors, the Mariners could consider trading Arozarena as a way to cut costs in the short term. Doing so could help the team manage payroll until 2027, when larger contracts like those of J.P. Crawford and Victor Robles are expected to come off the books.
Logan Gilbert
One could argue that if the Mariners truly planned to keep Logan Gilbert long term, they would have extended him earlier in the year—around the same time Cal Raleigh signed his six-year, $105 million contract.
Since that didn’t happen, it’s possible Gilbert could find himself on the trade block this offseason. He’s projected to earn $10 million in arbitration next year and likely more in 2027 before reaching free agency in 2028.
Although Gilbert experienced some inconsistency after returning from the injured list, he still turned in a strong season, posting a 3.44 ERA across 25 starts. He also delivered in the ALDS, allowing only one run over eight innings.
Trading him would be an unpopular move and likely isn’t Seattle’s preferred route, but given the level of trade interest he drew last year, the Mariners might receive an offer too compelling to turn down.
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