The Seattle Mariners made it a priority to bring back Josh Naylor this offseason after his strong performance following his acquisition from the Arizona Diamondbacks ahead of last year’s trade deadline. The main uncertainty wasn’t whether they would re-sign him, but rather the price tag.
That question was answered quickly, as Naylor agreed to a five-year, $92 million deal early in the offseason—an indication that both sides were eager to continue the partnership.
However, his start to the season has been disappointing.
As of April 10, Naylor has gone just 6-for-52 at the plate, resulting in a .115 batting average. Even more concerning, all six of those hits have been singles, with no extra-base hits in his first 52 at-bats.
He has drawn five walks while striking out 10 times, contributing to a low OPS of .308.
Is there a problem?
For now, this shouldn’t be seen as a lasting concern. Naylor has a strong track record of consistent production, making it unlikely that this slump will persist indefinitely.
Every player goes through stretches during a season where things simply don’t click. It just feels more pronounced when it happens right out of the gate on Opening Day, since there’s no larger sample size to balance it out—everything is immediately visible.
So far, Naylor is striking out only slightly more than he did a year ago, but he hasn’t been making as much solid contact. That helps explain why his numbers have lagged early on.
Still, it’s far too soon to suggest anything is seriously wrong. It’s just a frustrating start, and he’ll be looking to turn things around in the near future.
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