But it’s likely that it will be his swan song in the Pacific Northwest. The slugging third baseman is set to become a free agent five days after the World Series ends.
“It’s going to [hurt] for a long time, but it’s time to go home, start the rest,” Suárez said after Seattle was eliminated by Toronto in ALCS Game 7. “It’s time to prepare yourself for next year — be a dad, be a husband and be a good person outside, too.”
The Mariners’ most notable voids this offseason will be to fill the two positions that they massively upgraded at the Trade Deadline — third and first base — via the acquisitions of Suárez and Josh Naylor, brought in via separate deals with Arizona.
Of those two, Naylor is the more likely to return.
As beloved as Suárez is in this region, he turns 35 in July and likely will net a deal far more costly than Seattle’s third-base options in-house. The headliner is Colt Emerson, who is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the organization’s No. 1 prospect. He has been brought up as a shortstop but has the makings to play the hot corner.
Emerson climbed three Minor League affiliates this year and was on the Mariners’ postseason taxi squad leading into the AL Division Series. While he probably won’t be considered for Opening Day, a 2026 debut is very much in play.
There’s also Ben Williamson, who had a productive rookie season and was the club’s best defensive player during his 85-game stint, though some of the limitations with his bat (.604 OPS) were why the Mariners acquired Suárez in the first place.
Suárez, meanwhile, is coming off a career-high-tying 49 homers. As such, he likely will be able to net a multiyear deal with an annual salary near the $15 million he earned in 2025, albeit likely a shorter-term pact. A reunion with the D-backs, on paper, makes sense. But there will be other teams seeking his type of pop.
“It is tough, because you do your best for your team and you want to keep going,” Suárez said. “But it is what it is. It’s a business. And just now, my mentality is go home and enjoy my family.”
The Mariners, who notably have not been as active in free-agent spending in recent winters, are hovering in the $135 million payroll range for 2026 entering this offseason, after finishing 2025 around $165 million — which itself was a notable uptick by their measures. These figures are unofficial from Cots Baseball Contracts.
They are expected to buy this winter, but their stronger interest is in Naylor, who will be 29 on June 22. Because this is Naylor’s first foray into free agency, he and the Mariners did not engage in extended negotiations. But that’s expected to change once free agency begins.
“He was a boost the day he showed up,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said. “I think the other then 25 guys were really uplifted by the fact that this was a real, All-Star-level player who was in the middle of having a good year, who has been the postseasons, who could come in here and give us a little bit of an edge that I’m not entirely sure we’ve ever really had before.”
Naylor was an immediate fit, for his position, production and presence — both within the clubhouse and among the fan base. There is strong mutual interest in a reunion.
“He loves Seattle. I love being his teammate,” shortstop J.P. Crawford said. “He’s one of the smartest baseball players I’ve ever played with. He’s a great guy. He fits in great.”
Naylor’s position is also a clearer need in Seattle than Suárez’s, especially given that the club traded away first-base prospect Tyler Locklear to acquire Suárez on July 31. If the Mariners don’t retain Naylor, they would be forced to add at that spot via trade or free agency.
“I’ve gotten so many compliments from friends who have watched me play, or ex-teammates I’ve played with or even just opponents who I’m playing against, like, how awesome it is in Seattle,” Naylor said, “and how cool the fan base is and how they just ride-or-die Seattle. And it’s super awesome to be a part of.”
The Mariners’ other pending free agents are designated hitter Mitch Garver and low-leverage relievers Luke Jackson and Caleb Ferguson. They are not expected to return.
