As first reported by Jeff Passan, the Diamondbacks have traded for first baseman Josh Naylor from the Cleveland Guardians. Arizona will be sending Slade Cecconi and their competitive balance (Round B) pick to Cleveland in the deal.
Naylor is 27 years old, and is a left-hander, so he is not a platoon fit with fellow southpaw Pavin Smith next year. Naylor has some pop, having hit 31 home-runs last year for the Guardians, and made the All-Star team for the American League. His overall offensive production was actually down, his OPS+ dropping to 118 from a figure of 130 in 2023. But his production at the plate has been solid, with a 112 career OPS+. His defensive numbers last year were not good,…
