The Cleveland Guardians found some success of late, reaching the playoffs in two of the last three seasons. However, the team hasn’t advanced beyond the division round since 2016 and so Cleveland felt it was time for a change. The Guardians traded Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks this offseason, moving on from a fun and productive player.
Naylor, however, can get a little over excited at times. Former Guardians manager Terry Francona found this out the hard way, suffering a headbutt from Naylor after a walk-off, two-run bomb that beat the Minnesota Twins in the 10th inning back in 2022. And Francona was even wearing a batting helmet at the time. But the gear failed to adequately protect the veteran skipper.
The iconic celebration was brought up recently in a sit down with Naylor. “I apologize to this day every time I see him,” Naylor said of his former manager, per MLB Network on Instagram.
“I do still feel bad to this day. I know he had neck pain for the next five days after that, so it’s kinda sad,” the Diamondbacks’ new first baseman acknowledged. “He’s awesome. I love Terry,” Naylor added.
New Diamondbacks slugger Josh Naylor celebrates hard
Naylor’s a big guy, tipping the scales at 250 pounds. So the Diamondbacks better be prepared for some contact when he gets a game-winner. The dramatic bomb he crushed in Cleveland was part of a solid 2022 season for the Guardians, who went 92-70 en route to winning the AL Central. And Francona was named Manager of the Year that season.
Francona stepped down from his role as manager of the Guardians after the 2023 campaign and now the team has traded Naylor. In his last season in Cleveland, he hit 31 home runs with 108 RBI and 84 runs scored, finishing with an OPS+ of 118 and 1.5 WAR.
The Diamondbacks were in the market for a new first baseman after losing Christian Walker in free agency. The veteran Gold Glover spent eight seasons with the Diamondbacks before signing a three-year, $60 million deal with the Astros this offseason.
Despite making the playoffs for just the second time in the last 12 years in 2023, the Diamondbacks reached the World Series, losing 4-1 to the Texas Rangers. Last season, Arizona was unable to overcome a competitive division and missed the playoffs altogether.
Perhaps Naylor will bring a new spark to the club. Just steer clear of the 27-year-old All-Star during post-game celebrations.
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