Jul 23, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first base Josh Naylor (22) hits an RBI single in the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Chase Field. Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Astros Must Improve Offense Following Mariners Acquisition of Josh Naylor

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Jul 25, 2025 6:00 PM ET

With the MLB trade deadline a week away, the Houston Astros have seen one of their division rivals improve quite a bit.

Despite the Astros performing well this season, they have been in a tight race in the American League West for most of the year with the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners feature an excellent starting rotation with a lot of talent and depth. However, it has been the offense that has held them back.

Recently, they were able to address that in a significant way with the addition of first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks. As expected, the Diamondbacks have started to sell before the trade deadline, and Naylor was the first domino to fall.

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So far this campaign, he has slashed .292/.360/.447 with 11 home runs and 59 RBI. He is going to be a nice upgrade for the Mariners at first base, and they might not be done yet.

Another member of Arizona that has been linked to Seattle has been third baseman Eugenio Suarez. The talented slugger has become the most-coveted name at the trade deadline, and the Mariners will likely be going after him as well.

The Diamondbacks sale has begun with the Seattle Mariners acquiring 1B Josh Naylor and still involved in talks for 3B Eugenio Suarez
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 25, 2025

For the Astros, seeing a division rival getting better should be a bit of a cause for concern. On offense, Houston has been mediocre for much of the year, with their star slugger, Yordan Alvarez, missing the majority of the season.

Furthermore, with Jeremy Pena and Isaac Paredes both on the injured list, the unit is in need of some major help.

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When looking at potential areas to improve, getting a left-handed bat would be ideal. The two spots that make the most sense in terms of a position would be either left field or second base.

However, due to the uncertainty surrounding both Paredes and Alvarez’s timetable, the Astros might have a couple of other areas they could plug in a new slugger.

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With the Mariners already improving and likely staying aggressive, Houston is going to have to do the same to keep their narrow lead in the AL West.

Injuries have impacted the organization of late, so improving at the deadline is a must.

For more Astros news, head over to Astros On SI.

This article first appeared on Houston Astros on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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