The Cleveland Guardians’ decision to move on from Josh Naylor might have a big impact.
They traded one of their best players, and while that’s usually what they do when stars are about to get more expensive, it was still a big blow.
However, it seemed like the first baseman foresaw the move, as he recently revealed that he drove by Chase Field, which is now his new home with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the same day he was dealt.
“It was just kind of weird, that I saw the stadium, looked at it. It was just a weird full-circle moment,” Naylor said, via Foul Territory.
Josh Naylor was playing Call of Duty when he found out that he had been traded. 😂 pic.twitter.com/e0TENiJvsp
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 15, 2025
He was working out in Arizona and missed his exit when he was driving around and came upon Chase Field.
Then, hours later, he found out that he was being traded to the Diamondbacks while he was playing Call of Duty with his friends.
The Guardians got pitcher Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance Round B draft pick in return for Naylor.
They also brought back a fan favorite, Carlos Santana, to fill the void at first base.
Naylor was coming off posting career-bests last season, logging 108 RBIs and 31 home runs and becoming an All-Star for the first time.
However, he was entering the final year of his contract and was about to have a projected arbitration salary of $12 million, so the Guardians decided to move on.
Ironically, they signed the older Santana for that same amount of money, and at 38 years old, some are worried that he might not be able to sustain his usual level of offensive production this season.
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