Blue Jays and Guardians may not be done as trade partners.
Photo credit: Bally Sports
After the Spencer Horwitz / Andres Gimenez trade it is believed that the Blue Jays and Gaurdians may not be done as trade partners.
Speculatively, the Toronto/Cleveland connection might also be related to the Blue Jays' bullpen search, as the Guards are very deep in relief pitching.
Sportsnet's Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith also noted that the Guardians have shown interest in some of the Blue Jays minor league prospects, leading to some speculation that the Jays could look to bring in Mississauga Ontario native Josh Naylor who according to the Guardians is known to be available in trade talks.
Naylor 28 in June, has been a consistent spark in the Cleveland lineup for three years now.
He doesn't walk a ton but avoids strikeouts and has popped at least 17 home runs in each of the past three campaigns, including 31 in the most recent season.
He doesn't walk a ton but avoids strikeouts and has popped at least 17 home runs in each of the past three campaigns, including 31 in the most recent season.
He has a combined .267/.330/.465 batting line over those three years for a 121 wRC+, indicating he was 21% better than the league average in that stretch.
Defensively, the metrics have been fairly kind to him overall.
With almost 3,000 innings of first base work under his belt, he's produced 10 Outs Above Average.
His mark of -4 Defensive Runs Saved is obviously less impressive but that metric had him above average before a -6 grade in 2024, which might be an odd outlier.
Putting the offense and defense together, plus a few steals here and there, Naylor has been worth about two or three wins above replacement per year in that stretch.
For his salary, that should give him plenty of appeal this offseason.
Naylor provides left handed power at the plate, can DH, platoon with Vladimir Guerrero Jr at first (now that Spencer Horwitz is gone), and play some outfield as well.
Mostly though he provides added left-handed pop to an otherwise underwhelming offense in Toronto.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 10 | 269 ANSWERS Blue Jays and Guardians may not be done as trade partners. Would you like to see Josh Naylor come to the Blue Jays? | ||
| Yes | 221 | 82.2 % |
| No | 48 | 17.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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