The Cleveland Guardians made a tough but expected decision during the offseason.
They traded first baseman Josh Naylor, who was entering his last year of team control before becoming a free agent, to the Arizona Diamondbacks for pitcher Slade Cecconi and a draft pick.
The Guardians prefer to trade players about to become free agents instead of losing them for nothing, so the writing was on the wall for Naylor.
The slugger, who contributed 31 home runs and 108 RBIs to Cleveland last season, is off to an amazing start in Arizona.
“Josh Naylor is now up to 4 HR and 4 SB in 19 games and has walked more than he’s struck out so far,” fantasy analyst Eric Cross wrote on X.
Josh Naylor is now up to 4 HR and 4 SB in 19 games and has walked more than he's struck out so far.#Dbackspic.twitter.com/0NzqIZubQQ
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) April 17, 2025
Naylor’s 2025 line is an impressive .324/.402/.577.
There were two things Naylor received criticism for in his final year with Cleveland: a lack of conditioning and poor plate discipline.
He rarely walked in 2024 but is sporting 10 walks against seven strikeouts with Arizona so far.
Maybe it’s the weather, or the fact that he is motivated by his upcoming free agency, but Naylor has looked great with the D’backs.
It remains to be seen how he performs in August or September, when players start to show the wear and tear of the long season, but it’s fair to say Arizona doesn’t regret the trade.
NEXT: Guardians' Unheralded Minor Leaguer Extends Hot Streak
