Last year, Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor had a slow start at the plate.
Yet his team waited for him to get into a groove: they had witnessed the year before that he was, indeed, a major league-caliber hitter with untapped potential.
Their patience paid off, and Naylor went into a historic tear in the second half.
He has now started off the 2024 campaign on a hot streak, too, and his last 100 games as a major leaguer look amazing numbers-wise.
When his name is mentioned in the same breath as Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Shohei Ohtani, you know that Naylor is doing his job and then some.
“MLB – Last 100 Games Played (Active). Highest Batting Average: 1. Betts: .350 BA, 1.108 OPS, 80 RBI; 2. Naylor: .346 BA, .946 OPS, 86 RBI; 3. Freeman: .337 BA, .977 OPS, 61 RBI; 4. Acuña Jr: .337 BA, 1.008 OPS, 65 RBI; 5. Ohtani: .333 BA, 1.188 OPS, 72 RBI,” Cleveland Stats tweeted.
MLB – Last 100 Games Played (Active)
Highest Batting Average:
1. Betts: .350 BA, 1.108 OPS, 80 RBI
2. Naylor: .346 BA, .946 OPS, 86 RBI
3. Freeman: .337 BA, .977 OPS, 61 RBI
4. Acuña Jr: .337 BA, 1.008 OPS, 65 RBI
5. Ohtani: .333 BA, 1.188 OPS, 72 RBIpic.twitter.com/y0NuSmO8NA https://t.co/M17yCrBzW4— Cleveland Stats (@CLE_STATS) April 15, 2024
Naylor actually has a higher batting average than Freeman, Acuna, and Ohtani in his last 100 contests.
Only Betts’ mark is better than his.
Naylor also has more RBI over that span than all four MVPs.
This year, the talented lefty hitter is at .340/.431/.642 with four home runs and 12 RBI.
He played 122 games in 2022 and 121 last year.
If injuries allow him to play in 140-150 games this year, he could be poised for AL MVP consideration with the way he is swinging the stick.
He has been that good in his last 100 games, which is not a small sample.
Maybe he is ready to take the next step in his development and become a true MVP candidate.
We will know for sure in a few months.
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