Josh Naylor gives boost to offensively-challenged Cleveland Guardians

Physically, he looks more like a softball player than a baseball player. He’s listed at 5-11, 250 pounds, but those might just be estimates. Generous estimates. Let’s just say that he’ll never be described as “neatly chiseled.”

Aerodynamically, he is more boxy than athletically streamlined. Then there is the cascading, unruly, uncombable ringlets of hair, spilling out from under his batting helmet in all directions. Throw in his gregarious personality, with that open-all-night Cheshire smile, and at times he seems more like a party favor than a baseball player.

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But when it comes to hitting a fastball, Cleveland Guardians first baseman/designated hitter Josh Naylor is all business. He never saw a high-velocity heater he couldn’t turn around.

As the No. 4 hitter in one of the most lightweight lineups in the major leagues – the Guardians have scored three runs or less in 41 of their 80 games – the 26-year-old, left-handed hitting Naylor is counted on to do much of the heavy lifting when there’s heavy lifting to be done.

That’s his calling card, run production, and for the Guardians it’s Naylor and Jose Ramirez who do most of it. At the start of play Friday Naylor, who should be a strong candidate for the American League All-Star team, was fourth in the league with 58 RBI, and eighth in the league in hitting with a .296 average.

It’s not just that Naylor gets big hits in games, it’s that he gets them when they are needed the most. In addition to hitting .315 with runners in scoring position, he has hit 10 home runs this season, and most of them came late in close games.

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Earlier this year he became the first major league player in the expansion era (since 1961) to hit go-ahead home runs in the eighth inning or later in three consecutive games. Since 2021, Naylor has hit a major league-high eight go-ahead home runs after the seventh inning.

Cleveland acquired Naylor in a nine-player trade with the San Diego Padres on August 31, 2020. Cleveland sent pitcher Mike Clevinger and two minor leaguers to San Diego for Naylor, pitcher Cal Quantrill, catcher Austin Hedges, and three minor leaguers. The trade occurred just as Naylor was emerging as a formidable major league hitter. Since being traded to Cleveland, that’s what he’s become.

However, on June 28, 2021, while playing right field, Naylor, in attempting to make a catch on a sinking line drive, suffered a devastating fractured right ankle, plus ligament damage that ended his season.

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It was the type of injury that, for a time, seemed to potentially be career-ending. But Naylor returned in 2022 and had a solid year, hitting .256 with 28 doubles, 20 home runs and 79 RBI.

The gruesome ankle injury turned Naylor from a first baseman/right-fielder into a first baseman/designated hitter, and he’s flourished offensively at both spots the last two years. The ankle injury has not slowed Naylor’s aggressiveness on the bases. Over the last two years he has been successful on 11 of his 13 stolen base attempts.

In 2023 Naylor has been at the center most of the Guardians’ rallies, and his late-inning home runs and extra base hits have provided sparks to multiple dramatic victories.

American League pitchers have learned to pitch carefully to the aggressive Naylor, who’s at bats do not tend to last very long. So far this year he is hitting .435 (20-for-46) when he swings at the first pitch in an at bat. His batting average is also .440 (11-for-25) on 1-0 counts, and .500 (5-for-10) on 2-0 counts.

Since May 12 this year Naylor has 39 RBI, fourth-most in the majors, and he is second in the majors since then with a .375 batting average.

It has been an exciting summer for the Naylor family. Catcher Bo Naylor, Josh’s 23-year-old brother, and Cleveland’s first round pick in the 2018 MLB draft, was called up to the big-league club from Triple-A Columbus on June 18, and has taken over as the Guardians’ everyday catcher.

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Josh’s trade to Cleveland, and Bo being drafted by Cleveland were fortuitous moments for the Naylor family, who make their home in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, which is only about a four-hour drive from Cleveland.