The Arizona Diamondbacks have made a significant acquisition by adding Josh Naylor in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians. According to The Athletic, Naylor joins the D-backs in exchange for righty Slade Cecconi and Arizona’s competitive balance draft pick. The trade has not been officially announced by either team.
Naylor, 27, was considered a trade candidate due to his impending free agency and projected arbitration salary of around $12 million. Following the trade, the Guardians signed Carlos Santana as Naylor’s replacement. Naylor, who hit 31 home runs with a .243/.320/.456 batting line last season, is expected to provide power to Arizona’s lineup.
With Naylor on board, the D-backs’ lineup for 2025 could feature players like Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Eugenio Suárez. Cecconi, the 25-year-old pitcher acquired by Cleveland, will look to fulfill his potential with the Guardians’ pitching development team.
Additionally, the trade involves a competitive balance draft pick, which gives small-market teams like Cleveland an extra opportunity in the draft. The D-backs, who went 89-73 in 2024, will look to Naylor to help them return to the postseason, while the Guardians aim to build on their successful 2024 season.
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