Naylor’s baserunning fuels Mariners’ Wild Card push as Suarez energizes lineup
The Seattle Mariners are squarely in the chase for an American League Wild Card spot, lifted by two late-season additions that have added offense and speed to the lineup. Eugenio Suarez has shown signs of life after an uneven start, but it’s first baseman Josh Naylor who has stolen the spotlight with a surprising running game that’s helped change the Mariners’ outlook.
Chad Jennings of The Athletic highlighted how Naylor’s baserunning has become a game changer, even as the league’s fastest players keep pace. “Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is the fastest player in baseball at 30.3 feet per second, while Naylor ranks 532nd out of 546 players who have been clocked at least 10 times,” Jennings wrote. He added that Naylor is the only player 6 feet or under and at least 235 pounds to ever record 20-plus steals in a season. The takeaway, according to Naylor: a willingness to embrace risk.
“I think it’s about not being afraid to fail,” Naylor told Jennings. “Not being afraid to take a chance. That’s big for me. I try not to think about failure. Try not to think about, ‘What if I do this?’ I just like to play baseball, play hard.”
Heading into 2025, Naylor entered the season with 25 stolen bases across 598 games in six seasons. He arrived in Seattle after a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks that previously gave him 11 steals in 93 games in the desert. Since joining the Mariners, he’s added 11 steals in 26 games, a notable uptick that’s complemented by five home runs and a .754 OPS.
The numbers reflect a broader impact beyond stolen bases. Naylor’s pace has helped energize a Mariners club that has dealt with ups and downs in the recent sample, and his speed has altered how opponents defend him and how Seattle structuring its running game. The Mariners entered Monday’s action as the last team in the AL Wild Card picture, with Naylor’s speed providing an added dimension in the late innings.
The potential implications are clear: if Naylor keeps up this pace, his value could rise in a crowded market this offseason. Could a contending club see him as a long-term fit, or will Seattle decide to keep him in place as a core contributor in 2026? The two-way impact—speed on the bases and durability at the plate—gives Naylor a compelling case either way.
What to watch going forward
– Naylor’s steal rate in the final stretch and how much it influences close games.
– Suarez’s continued contribution as he rounds into form and provides offense in the middle of the Mariners’ order.
– Seattle’s ability to capitalize on these upgrades to secure a playoff berth and improve their overall run differential.
– How Naylor’s running game affects opponents’ pitching plans and defensive alignments.
Summary: The Mariners’ postseason push is buoyed by Naylor’s unlikely speed and a learning mindset that prizes aggression and adaptability, with Suarez providing a steadying influence as Seattle pursues a Wild Card opportunity.
Note: If you’d like, I can add a short expert quote box or a stat sidebar highlighting Naylor’s stolen-base rate before and after the Diamondbacks trade to give readers a quick, at-a-glance view of the impact.