On Thursday, the Seattle Mariners jump-started the 2025 trade deadline by acquiring Josh Naylor from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for two minor league pitchers.
While that trade confirms the Guardians fleeced the Diamondbacks in their initial trade of Naylor, it also made the Guardians' path to the postseason a bit tougher.
Guardians' Wild Card quest just got tougher due to old friend's trade
The first way the trade hurts the Guardians is pretty cut and dry: The Mariners are better today than they were yesterday.
The Mariners enter play on Friday holding onto the American League’s second Wild Card spot, and are one of the five teams the Guardians are chasing in the hunt for a Wild Card spot.