SEATTLE -- The Mariners have returned to Seattle, said their goodbyes and scattered across the country to their homes for what will likely be a long winter -- one that began sooner than they’d expected.
Here are five questions that the club faces this offseason:
Can they bring back Josh Naylor? What about Jorge Polanco?
Engaging with Naylor will be the Mariners' top order of business once free agency opens five days after the World Series, though there will also be great interest in a reunion with Polanco, who is not yet a free agent but likely will become one.
Polanco has a $6 million vesting player option that he triggered after reaching 450 plate appearances, which is less than the $7.75 million he earned in 2025. And because he’ll be able to net a multiyear deal on the open market, all signs point to Polanco declining the option and testing free agency.
That said, because of his resounding turnaround -- 26 homers, .821 OPS and many big October moments -- Seattle will want the 32-year-old back. The question then will be on cost and length.
As for Naylor, the first baseman is expected to be their top priority, even considering that bringing him back will cost significantly more than the $10.9 million he earned in his final year of arbitration.
What payroll flexibility will Seattle have?
The Mariners enter the offseason hovering around $135 million in payroll commitments for 2026, after finishing 2025 around $165 million. The latter was their highest since 2018, and a notable increase from around $150 million in 2024.
Much of that uptick was tied into the $10 million they absorbed at the Deadline to acquire Naylor, Eugenio Suárez and Caleb Ferguson -- which spoke to both the front office and ownership’s willingness to be perhaps bolder than in years past, as all three were rentals.
Because they’re coming off a lengthy playoff run and that fan interest will be high, logic would suggest that the Mariners -- who’ve made annual total payroll increases, but more moderately -- would be positioned to spend more aggressively than in past offseasons.
Who might they trade?
This is an area where president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander typically make their most significant moves.
But with a core of foundational players coming back, many of whom are locked up either long term or are in relatively affordable arbitration phase, Seattle doesn’t necessarily have many holes. The Mariners also aren’t expected to be pressed by payroll constraints as in previous offseasons that forced them to subtract from the roster to re-add.
But there are at least two players worth keeping tabs on this winter who might be moved: starting pitcher Luis Castillo and left fielder Randy Arozarena.
To be sure, the Mariners admire both players and dealing them away would force the club to back-fill their spots from outside the organization. But they are also among the club's most costly.
Castillo, whose no-trade clause expires this winter, is due a team-high $24.15 million next season, while Arozarena is expected to see a significant salary spike in arbitration after an All-Star nod, probably in the $18 million range, per MLB Trade Rumors.
If Seattle was to get creative rather than completely run it back, these are the two players it would likely consider moving to do so.
How much bullpen help do they need?
Any team that goes deep into October faces the reality that there could be regression from its relievers the following year -- and that could be especially true for Mariners arms who had career-highs in appearances (regular season and postseason).
That group includes Andrés Muñoz (71), Gabe Speier (83), Eduard Bazardo (82) and Carlos Vargas (76). Matt Brash, after all, needed Tommy John surgery the year after he led MLB with 78 appearances. That’s not to say any of these relievers are dealing with anything concerning, but it’s simply a reality that could surface.
There’s also the reality that the Mariners could’ve benefited from another power arm down the stretch, especially in late October. Seattle tried to add one such piece at the Deadline, but the team fell short in bids for some of the top available arms given the sky-high asking prices.
Dipoto hasn’t spent big on a free-agent reliever in recent years, but maybe this is the winter that he explores it.
Can they recover from their stinging finish?
Aside from roster news, this will be Seattle's prevailing storyline all offseason -- then into Spring Training and throughout the regular season in 2026.
The Mariners coming just eight outs shy of their first World Series appearance has set a new standard in Seattle. But overcoming such a heartache could define next season, too.