logo
#

Latest news with #Naylor

Josh Naylor trade grades for Mariners, Diamondbacks
Josh Naylor trade grades for Mariners, Diamondbacks

Yahoo

time6 hours ago

  • Business
  • Yahoo

Josh Naylor trade grades for Mariners, Diamondbacks

The post Josh Naylor trade grades for Mariners, Diamondbacks appeared first on ClutchPoints. Just like that, the Major League Baseball trade deadline chaos has begun. Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto kicked the trade deadline off by trading for Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor. Many experts anticipate that the Diamondbacks will sell, but all eyes were on Eugenio Suarez. Naylor's move coming first is a surprise, but not a big one. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is in the middle of a historic season. However, Seattle needed to bring in more offensive punch, specifically at first base. Luke Raley has done well enough, but Naylor is a massive upgrade at the plate. Seattle was one of many teams looking to be aggressive ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. Now that they have struck, more deals will follow. People around the baseball world will continue to monitor Suarez's status. However, the Mariners are not out of the running to land him as well. Seattle and the New York Yankees are the front runners to land the All-Star. However, Dipoto's trade offer for him just got weaker. Bringing Naylor in cost him two valuable pieces in Brandyn Garcia and Ashton Izzi. While the deal is a big step forward in 2025 for the Mariners, Naylor needs to help them win to justify it. He is fully capable of doing so notching 59 RBIs while hitting .292. The first baseman is on an expiring deal, making the second half of the season that much more important for Seattle. On the other end of the deal, the Diamondbacks bring in two pitchers who could factor into their long-term plans. Trading away their veterans at the deadline puts them in the driver's seat when it comes to setting their price. The fact that Arizona got two high-level pitching prospects for Naylor is a good sign of what is to come. Related: Mariners GM releases Josh Naylor statement after Diamondbacks trade Related: Diamondbacks far from done after Josh Naylor trade Mariners grade: B+ Diamondbacks grade: A-

Four reasons for MLB's glacial trade market — and why it's likely to change soon
Four reasons for MLB's glacial trade market — and why it's likely to change soon

New York Times

timea day ago

  • Business
  • New York Times

Four reasons for MLB's glacial trade market — and why it's likely to change soon

It's been almost a week since the Arizona Diamondbacks declared themselves sellers, sending their first baseman, Josh Naylor, to the Seattle Mariners. It was an opening salvo — a pretty big one at that — and in that instant it seemed as if anything could happen at any moment leading up to the 2025 trade deadline. Advertisement In all the days since … very little has happened. Thursday's 6 p.m. ET deadline is less than 48 hours away, and the Naylor deal remains the biggest trade of the week. The Baltimore Orioles have traded a couple of relievers, and the Detroit Tigers have acquired a new fourth starter, and the Tampa Bay Rays have played musical chairs behind the plate. But entering as of Tuesday night, Naylor is so far the highest ranked player (No. 17) from The Athletic's Big Board to change teams. using @baseball_ref transaction data, here's a look at how many trades have been made on each day leading up to the trade deadline over the past 25 years quantity of trades has soared recently, so we're basically guaranteed to have a flurry of activity over the final 48 hours — Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) July 29, 2025 Some of the slower pace is surely in our heads. Every year, the bulk of the action comes in the last two days before the deadline. Some of it is the usual haggling over the cost of a trade chip. For example, we heard the Pittsburgh Pirates initially were asking for one of a team's Top 5 prospects for closer David Bednar, who at one point this year was demoted to Triple A. But there do seem to be some quirks of this particular deadline that might be slowing the pace. At least for now. The deadline is fast approaching and executives want to make moves. It's only a matter of time before this glacial market heats up and starts to really flow. Until then, here are some of the factors that seem to be gumming up the works. Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. is the poster boy for this. The White Sox want to sell him as a 27-year-old superstar who's definitely worth a $20-million team option next year. Interested buyers surely point out that he's been a below average hitter two years in a row and will be lucky to be a 1.0 fWAR player at the end this season. Advertisement How do two sides come up with a fair value for a guy like that? Since last month, the White Sox have deployed scouts across minor-league homes of several contenders, including the San Diego Padres and New York Mets. Both clubs along with the Philadelphia Phillies and possibly others remain in play for Robert. Evaluators from multiple clubs say Robert presents the most upside among the group of center-field trade candidates, but he also carries risk. He was an All-Star in 2023 when he hit 38 home runs and stole 20 bases. However, he has struggled since then while dealing with injuries. This trade market is littered with similar resumes: high-end talent producing low-end results. Sandy Alcantara is a 29-year-old Cy Young winner. He also had a 6.66 ERA entering Tuesday's start against the Cardinals. Zac Gallen is also 29, nearly won a Cy Young award of his own, and his ERA is 5.60. Ozzie Albies is a 28-year-old three-time All-Star having the worst season of his career. Marcell Ozuna was an MVP candidate this year, and now he's a bench player for a fourth-place team. The Rays' Taj Bradley was just demoted to Triple A. The Rangers' Adolis Garcia doesn't hit like he used to. The Pirates' Bryan Reynolds hasn't hit much either. On the South Side, Adrian Houser has been a good big league starter for all of two months, while Cleveland's Shane Bieber hasn't been a big league starter at all since 2023 and just finished his fourth minor league rehab start since last year's Tommy John surgery. In particular, Houser is a great example. His market is strong with a few teams indicating serious interest, league sources said. But as of Tuesday afternoon, people with knowledge of the situation said nothing was close. It's hard to blame teams — both buyers and sellers — for having a hard time knowing what to make of some of these guys. The Tampa Bay Rays have been one of the busiest teams on the trade market, yet even they seem unsure which direction they're going. Two weeks ago, the Rays made a minor trade for reliever Bryan Baker. Then they made an even smaller deal for utility man Tristan Gray. Their next move was to deal away starting catcher Danny Jansen to the Brewers, after which they immediately acquired a new catcher from the Marlins, Nick Fortes. Advertisement The Rays have been busy, but they've been busy threading the needle in a way that does little to define the trade market as a whole. The San Diego Padres also seem to be considering moves that blur the line between buying and selling. They could trade away closer Robert Suarez or starter Dylan Cease, but seem to want big league bats in return. Consider the level of talent that those two teams alone have left in questionable trade status: Suarez could be the best closer available, Brandon Lowe would almost certainly be the best second baseman, Cease would have some of the highest rotation upside in a market that lacks a can't-miss ace, and Yandy Diaz would be one of the best right-handed bats in a market that leans heavily toward the left-handed batters box. Last week, executives from contending teams pointed to the weekend as a key turning point for other clubs facing hard decisions. It came and went. Then they suggested Monday as the tipping point. And yet? Ken Rosenthal wrote on Tuesday that the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers have also been slow to pick a lane. Earlier in the week, multiple rival executives simply referred to the Angels' situation as 'weird' because they don't want to sell but need to. Unlike the Giants and Rangers, the Angels (52-55) have a losing record. The Minnesota Twins have already started selling. The Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles are obvious sellers. But do any of those three teams think they'll still be rebuilding next year? Probably not, and that complicates each team's approach at the deadline. The Twins stand out as a wild card. But rival executives say it's hard to know where things stand with them. One executive said that in return for their players, they were asking for the sky. It's one thing for the Twins to trade Chris Paddack two months before free agency. It would be another thing for them to trade ace Joe Ryan or closer Jhoan Duran, each of whom could be a key piece toward contention in 2026. The Braves and Orioles clearly feel they have cores that will be in the thick of the playoff race in 2026. Advertisement The St. Louis Cardinals have signaled an intention to sell, though that's likely only to a certain extent. They can easily trade closer Ryan Helsley or another reliever on an expiring contract, but All-Star Brendan Donovan, 23-year-old Jordan Walker and emerging slugger Ivan Herrera aren't so easy to move. The Washington Nationals also are obvious sellers — to a point. They seem unwilling to move their top young players, knowing most of their older players have limited trade value. Even the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are going on a full decade without a postseason appearance, are reportedly conflicted about whether to fully sell. Mitch Keller could be one of the best starting pitchers and David Bednar one of the best closers on the market, but the Pirates would also like to build a winner around Paul Skenes. Do they need those guys to do it? When the market's sellers aren't fully committed to selling, there's only so much the buyers can do to drive the market. The most shocking news of the past week wasn't an out-of-nowhere trade or a multi-team blockbuster, it was the league's announcement that Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on paid leave amid a sports gambling investigation. And just like that, a trade market fascination was officially off the table — Clase's availability was one of the true wild cards of this lead-up to the deadline — and an on-the-fence team was forced to think differently about its short-term and long-term future. How do the Guardians see their next three years potentially without their mainstay in the ninth inning? Is Steven Kwan more readily available than he was before Clase vanished indefinitely? There are unusual trade deadline circumstances happening all over the sport. The Twins and Rays on the verge of changing ownership. The Cardinals have a new head of baseball operations ready to take over in the Los Angeles Dodgers could get Max Muncy, Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott and Michael Kopech back from the injured list within the next months. Are those the reinforcements they need, or should they trade prospect capital for more? Every team faces difficult decisions this time of year, but this trade deadline has some X factors that go beyond the usual player evaluations and roster analysis. (Top photo of Luis Robert Jr.: Alex Slitz / Getty Images)

Mariners 'Aggressively Pursuing' Trade To Reunite With $66 Million Slugger
Mariners 'Aggressively Pursuing' Trade To Reunite With $66 Million Slugger

Newsweek

time4 days ago

  • Sport
  • Newsweek

Mariners 'Aggressively Pursuing' Trade To Reunite With $66 Million Slugger

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Earlier this week, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners came together on a trade that sent first baseman Josh Naylor to the Mariners in exchange for two pitching prospects. Following this, Arizona continued to sell, opting to trade Randal Grichuk next. The Mariners have remained in the market to buy. There's a chance these two teams will come together on another deal ahead of Thursday's deadline. Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently reported the Mariners were aggressively pursuing a trade for slugger Eugenio Suárez from the Diamondbacks. Suárez is in the final year of a $66 million contract. He played two seasons with the Mariners in 2022 and 2023. PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 20: Eugenio Suarez #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks gets ready in the batters box against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field on July 20, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 20: Eugenio Suarez #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks gets ready in the batters box against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field on July 20, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona."The Seattle Mariners, even after acquiring first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks, are aggressively pursuing Naylor's former teammate, All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suárez," Nightengale wrote. The Mariners desperately need more offense, and they have a hole at third base. With the addition of Naylor, it seems Seattle is one or two solid bats away from being a serious contender in the American League. Seattle seems to be hyper-aggressive this year, which makes sense because it needs to take advantage of the generational season from Cal Raleigh. Adding Suárez would be the right move, but there's bound to be a lot of competition in a trade bidding war. The Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs make sense as suitors, though it's unclear how aggressive they are. The Cincinnati Reds have checked in on Suárez, but it seems like a long shot. Either way, the ball is in the Mariners' court. If they're willing to give up more talented prospects, Suárez could be joining Naylor in Seattle. More MLB: Blockbuster Mock Trade Sends Cardinals Stars To Phillies For Loaded Haul

New Seattle slugger Josh Naylor plugged into cleanup spot behind Raleigh for debut against Angels
New Seattle slugger Josh Naylor plugged into cleanup spot behind Raleigh for debut against Angels

Fox Sports

time5 days ago

  • Sport
  • Fox Sports

New Seattle slugger Josh Naylor plugged into cleanup spot behind Raleigh for debut against Angels

Associated Press ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Pressure is a privilege in the eyes of new Seattle Mariners slugger Josh Naylor. Naylor is looking forward to the opportunity to bat cleanup in his first game with Seattle against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night. 'I love the word pressure,' said Naylor, a first baseman who was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks for two pitching prospects on Thursday. 'I think it's a gift, a position God puts you in because he knows you can handle it.' The left-handed hitting Naylor likely won't win a Gold Glove at first base. But, he has always been able to handle the bat. The 28-year-old Naylor is a career .267 hitter with a .773 OPS in seven big-league seasons. He joins the Mariners after hitting .292 with an .807 OPS, 11 homers, 19 doubles, 59 RBIs, 49 strikeouts and 37 walks in 93 games with the D-Backs this season. Naylor, who played in 19 playoff games with the Cleveland Guardians, is also a career .294 hitter with an .846 OPS with runners in scoring position. He entered Friday with a .298 average (28 for 94) and .810 OPS in those situations this season. That track record earned Naylor a prime position in Seattle's lineup behind No. 3 hitter Cal Raleigh, who entered Friday as the MLB leader with 39 homers and tied for second 84 RBIs. Seattle's No. 5 hitter is Randy Arozarena, who entered Friday with 19 homers and 51 RBIs. 'I think he's a good fit (in the cleanup spot) because of the way he swings the bat,' Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. 'He's a guy who is going to have a great approach in those RBI situations. 'He's been through a lot. I've seen some (of his) postseasons, so he's a guy who brings a lot of valuable experience to the group, and that will do nothing but enhance what has already been a very special season with this group.' Naylor should be a considerable offensive upgrade at first base over Donovan Solano, who is hitting .243 with a .626 OPS, three homers and 20 RBIs in 64 games, and Luke Raley, who is batting .220 with a .691 OPS, four homers and 18 RBIs in 49 games. Utility man Miles Mastrobuoni was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to clear a 26-man roster spot for Naylor. 'I've heard nothing but great things about this organization, about this team, about how hard they play,' Naylor said of the American League wild-card-contending Mariners, who entered Friday with a 55-48 record. 'They're a tough group. Obviously, the pitching speaks for itself, they're phenomenal on that end. The offense is great, too. 'Raleigh's having such an incredible year. It's super cool to watch from the outside. Julio (Rodriguez) is such a leader, a phenomenal player and athlete — he's a game changer. I'm really excited to be here and be a part of it and to see how I can contribute.' ___ AP MLB: recommended Item 1 of 2

New Seattle slugger Josh Naylor plugged into cleanup spot behind Raleigh for debut against Angels
New Seattle slugger Josh Naylor plugged into cleanup spot behind Raleigh for debut against Angels

Winnipeg Free Press

time5 days ago

  • Sport
  • Winnipeg Free Press

New Seattle slugger Josh Naylor plugged into cleanup spot behind Raleigh for debut against Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Pressure is a privilege in the eyes of new Seattle Mariners slugger Josh Naylor. Naylor is looking forward to the opportunity to bat cleanup in his first game with Seattle against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night. 'I love the word pressure,' said Naylor, a first baseman who was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks for two pitching prospects on Thursday. 'I think it's a gift, a position God puts you in because he knows you can handle it.' The left-handed hitting Naylor likely won't win a Gold Glove at first base. But, he has always been able to handle the bat. The 28-year-old Naylor is a career .267 hitter with a .773 OPS in seven big-league seasons. He joins the Mariners after hitting .292 with an .807 OPS, 11 homers, 19 doubles, 59 RBIs, 49 strikeouts and 37 walks in 93 games with the D-Backs this season. Naylor, who played in 19 playoff games with the Cleveland Guardians, is also a career .294 hitter with an .846 OPS with runners in scoring position. He entered Friday with a .298 average (28 for 94) and .810 OPS in those situations this season. That track record earned Naylor a prime position in Seattle's lineup behind No. 3 hitter Cal Raleigh, who entered Friday as the MLB leader with 39 homers and tied for second 84 RBIs. Seattle's No. 5 hitter is Randy Arozarena, who entered Friday with 19 homers and 51 RBIs. 'I think he's a good fit (in the cleanup spot) because of the way he swings the bat,' Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. 'He's a guy who is going to have a great approach in those RBI situations. 'He's been through a lot. I've seen some (of his) postseasons, so he's a guy who brings a lot of valuable experience to the group, and that will do nothing but enhance what has already been a very special season with this group.' Naylor should be a considerable offensive upgrade at first base over Donovan Solano, who is hitting .243 with a .626 OPS, three homers and 20 RBIs in 64 games, and Luke Raley, who is batting .220 with a .691 OPS, four homers and 18 RBIs in 49 games. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Utility man Miles Mastrobuoni was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to clear a 26-man roster spot for Naylor. 'I've heard nothing but great things about this organization, about this team, about how hard they play,' Naylor said of the American League wild-card-contending Mariners, who entered Friday with a 55-48 record. 'They're a tough group. Obviously, the pitching speaks for itself, they're phenomenal on that end. The offense is great, too. 'Raleigh's having such an incredible year. It's super cool to watch from the outside. Julio (Rodriguez) is such a leader, a phenomenal player and athlete — he's a game changer. I'm really excited to be here and be a part of it and to see how I can contribute.' ___ AP MLB:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store