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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Josh Naylor may have played his last game in a Mariners uniform, but his performance throughout the 2025 season – culminating in an impressive showing during the American League Championship Series – has positioned him as one of the most intriguing free agents of the upcoming offseason. The former Guardians first baseman turned heads all season with his unique blend of power, base stealing, and intensity, leaving front office executives and fans wondering: where will Naylor land next? Despite Seattle’s heartbreaking Game 7 loss to Toronto, Naylor’s stock has never been higher. His performance in the ALCS (.417 batting average, two home runs) capped off a season that checked every box for a player in his contract year. “He signed a one year, $10.9 million deal to avoid arbitration with Arizona this year. That was his last controllable year,” explained Paul Hoynes on the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast. “I would think this guy’s going to be worth $18-20 million a year. He could maybe get a 3-5 year deal. I’m just spitballing here.” Naylor’s 2025 regular season numbers justify such a significant raise. After being traded from Cleveland to Arizona and then to Seattle, the fiery first baseman put together the kind of campaign agents dream about for clients heading into free agency. “With Arizona and Seattle, he hit .295, 20 home runs, 92 RBI, 30 stolen bases, an .816 OPS, 128 OPS+,” Hoynes noted. “This is a guy that, that has put himself in a prime situation to cash in.” As the Hot Stove heats up following the World Series, Naylor will be among the most coveted first basemen available, alongside the Mets’ Pete Alonso. Seattle will have the first opportunity to re-sign their slugger during the exclusive negotiation window, but if they can’t reach an agreement, several big-market teams could be poised to make competitive offers. More Guardians coverage The Ex-Cleveland Effect: Why Guardians fans can’t help but feel invested in Toronto’s World Series run Late homer sends Blue Jays into World Series with 4-3 win over Mariners in Game 7 of ALCS Shohei Ohtani breaking baseball logic: Is his $700M contract actually a bargain? Could a reunion with Cleveland be in the cards? Though Guardians fans would certainly welcome back the emotional leader who became a fan favorite during his time with the team, Hoynes doesn’t see it happening. “I’d love to see him back in Cleveland. I think that’s what they need. They need some power and stability at first base, but I don’t see that happening,” Hoynes said. “I just don’t see him coming back here. I think there’s other places where he definitely could end up, but I don’t think it’s going to be Cleveland.” So if not Cleveland, where? New York emerges as a logical destination, with both the Yankees and Mets potentially in the market for a first baseman. “New York is a good situation, especially if the Mets lose Alonso,” Hoynes suggested. When you have a taste of winning, you want to keep doing that. You want to get closer, you want to get to the World Series, not just knock on the door." Naylor’s fiery personality and flair for the dramatic would certainly play well in the New York market, though some have suggested the White Sox as another potential landing spot. However, Hoynes remains skeptical of that possibility, noting that Naylor has “thrown his helmet and hit too many home runs against them” to sign in Chicago. One intriguing possibility that seems unlikely is Toronto, despite being Naylor’s hometown. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. entrenched at first base following a long-term extension, there’s simply no room for Naylor with the Blue Jays. Wherever he lands, Naylor has transformed himself from a promising but injury-plagued player in Cleveland to one of baseball’s most dynamic first basemen. His combination of power and clutch performance in October means teams will be lining up with their checkbooks open – even if that means the Guardians will be watching their former star continue to thrive elsewhere. Podcast transcript Joe Noga: Welcome back to the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast. I’m Joe Noga, joined by Paul Hoynes. The American League Championship Series game seven had a lot of Cleveland all over it. The, the game between the Mariners and the Blue Jays ended up just as exciting as, as we’d all sort of hoped it would. A 43 win for the Blue Jays on a three run, a home run by George Springer late in the game and, you know, Springer comes through with, you know, another clutch hit for the Blue Jays, sending them to their first World Series in 32 years. The Mariners get oh, so close to making it to the World Series for the first time in franchise history, but can’t get the job done. Looked like they were in good shape there until late when Springer came through. Just, you know, what was your takeaway, your initial takeaway from watching Toronto celebrate for the first time in three decades? Paul Hoynes: Yeah, just felt good for Cleveland North Joe. I mean, there’s so many former guardians on that team that you really had to be pulling for the Blue Jays. Clement, you know, Ernie Clement had a great series. Andres Jimenez, did you know, Shane Bieber started the game. Nathan Lukes, who I, you know, I had really had kind of forgotten about, you know, he had a great series hit.333. Yeah, they just, you know, the Toronto fans were into it. It was, it was an exciting game and just a great series too. Felt bad for Seattle. You know, they get so close. They’re up three one in the seventh to go to their first World Series ever. You know, they get the door slammed, slammed on them. But just a great series and just a lot of fun. First time I’ve seen Shane Bieber barking at an umpire. Joe Noga: Yeah, first time we’ve seen Shane Bieber barking. Really showing any emotion on the mound a couple of times in that game last night. I just want to. The one thing it did, you know, spark in my mind as I’m watching the trophy ceremony at the end of the game, as they’re handing it off, I’m looking at all the, the former Guardians players. But then I also remembered, you know, they introduced Mark Shapiro and I believe Ross Atkins as well. Paul Hoynes: Yeah. Joe Noga: And I realized that the connections to Cleveland go pretty deep there as Shapiro, the, the former front office executive and Atkins as well, with the, with Cleveland and an architect of a lot of the success that Cleveland has had throughout the years. So now he’s also found that same success in Toronto. Just, you know, good feeling for, for him as well. But, uh, you mentioned Shane Bieber and starting the game and this is sort of why Toronto went out and made that trade with Cleveland to. To bring in Bieber, as he had recovered from his Tommy John surgery. And I really hadn’t pitched all that much this year, but he’s pitching when it counts, and that’s, you know, starting game seven of the American League Championship Series, you know, a little bit rocky early gives up a home run, and, you know, in the. But in the first inning, you mentioned, you know, maybe some. Maybe some questions about the strike zone. But kind of an unusual play, one we don’t see too often. Ground ball, I believe, was Polanco hit the ground ball with Josh Naylor on first base, and they try to turn the double play. Ernie Clement comes across the bag, and, you know, his throw hits Naylor in the back of the head. On replay, it looks like Naylor turned his back and sort of jumped up into the path of the ball on the throw from Clement. So the umpires got together and immediately ruled a double play. They called Polanco out. Out as well. And. And the replay shows Nail or Bieber walking off the mound, sort of barking at Naylor, asking him, you know, what the heck are you doing there? Paul Hoynes: It looked like Naylor was on a pogo stick. He jumped right back up. And, you know, he did it on purpose. It was. It was clearly intentional. You know, you got to give Naylor, you know, I guess, a good grades for gamemanship, but, you know, that was. That was too obvious. You know, he’s got to be like Reggie Jackson against the Dodgers in the World Series a long time ago when Reggie threw out his H and, you know, got the. Deflected the relay to first, and, you know, he. He got away with that one. But I don’t think your Josh was getting away with this one. Not in the day, not in these days of replay and everything else. Joe Noga: Yeah, I can still see Tommy Lasor to come tearing out of the dugout to scream. Scream and yell about that call. But, yeah, I’ve seen that. That replay so many times. I definitely didn’t get away with it like Reggie Jackson did, but, you know, not the first unusual play or questionable play in that series with. With Ernie Clement and Josh Naylor. Earlier in the series, Naylor had a. An aggressive slide into third base, and we had seen that with Josh Naylor several times when he was in Cleveland. He sort of tracks the infielder’s eyes on a throw from the outfield and tries to get in the way of the throw. And we had seen him do that on a play at third base, where he slid in, and Clement sort of took the brunt of that as he. As he sort of barrel rolled into him. Paul Hoynes: Yeah, Joe, these guys are connected at the hip, man. I mean, you know, let’s go back to 2000. I. I believe it was 2021, Target Field, when Clement was playing second base and Naylor was playing right field for the Guardians. They had an awful collision, just, you know, one of the worst collisions I’ve seen. And Naylor broke his. Fractured his right ankle, missed the rest of the season. And, you know, they’ve been running into each other ever since, I guess. Joe Noga: Yeah, it’s not the first time they’re. They’ve sort of had that connection or had that sort of interaction physically on the field. This first time, they’ve. They’ve really done so on a regular basis as. As opponents. But I recall, and we recall we’ve talked on this podcast for. For many years about Josh Naylor’s aggressive nature on the bases. You know, I go back to 2020 in the postseason when he ran the bases like a. Like a madman against the Yankees and he was taking extra bases and it was working out. That was before he injured his ankle. Then in. In 2021, he. He misses a good chunk of time with the broken leg, and he still got hardware in that. In that foot. I remember the. The 2022 season and how painful it seemed like it was for him, and it was, you know, just to. To watch him get through that year. And by the end of that, that playoff run, you know, he’s limping down the hallway in. In Yankee Stadium, and you just. You fe. That, you know, he was going through that, but, you know, then he turns it around, and he’s got a 30 steel season this year. You know, stolen bases, just a. An aggressive baserunner. And that’s just part of his nature. Paul Hoynes: Yeah, Joe, and we talked about it before. I think he loves to prove people wrong, man. I mean, I remember Terry Francona when he was managing the Guardians, he said, he told Naylor, you know, you’re not that fast. Don’t steal bases, and that in. In spring training, he was telling him this and that. That never stopped Naylor. I mean, he. He always bases like his hair’s on fire. He’s always, you know, looking for the extra base, and you got to admire that. If you’re the manager, you don’t want to see it. Lose a valuable hitter like that to. To stealing second base when, you know, maybe the. The stolen bag doesn’t even mean that Much. Joe Noga: Yeah. No, how do you, how do you feel if you’re Ernie Clement and you’re at second base and, and you know this guy once again, Josh Neiller is no small dude and he comes sort of barreling down at you, it’s oh my gosh, here, here we go again. And you make the play, you make the throw like you’ve made a thousand times at second base. And normally that, that baserunner knows, get down, go into a slide because the throw’s coming right at your head and you throw it anyways and all of a sudden you’ve hit Naylor. I’m picturing what’s, what’s going through Ernie Clement’s mind when you’ve hit the beast in the back of the head with the baseball. It’s, it’s probably not a real self reassuring thing. Paul Hoynes: Sure. You just, you just want Josh to be headed back to the dugout. You don’t want them coming after you, you know, or then you got to start backpedaling awfully fast. Joe Noga: Right. Well, you know, big moments in that game last night, none really bigger than the George Springer home run, but it was set up by something that we’ve, we’ve seen Andres Jimenez bunt before. We’ve seen him over several seasons in Cleveland bunt successfully and bunt questionably. This was one that worked out really well. It was the perfect situational bunt with runners at first and second in the eighth inning and Jimenez drops one down in front of the mound. It had, you know, perfect backspin, didn’t go anywhere. And I just, I kept thinking, how many times have we seen Andres Jimenez not be able to execute that exact bunt in that exact situation for Cleveland? Here he gets it done in game seven in the alcs. You know, we’ve seen him bunt several times where you sort of scratch your head and wonder what’s he doing there. But this time you knew it was coming and you knew he got it down and he executed it like he needed to. Paul Hoynes: Yeah, no doubt about it. That’s the guards ball. You still got some guards ball left in it, Joe. So you know, that transferred in that inning. And yeah, you’re right with Jimenez. How many times were we sitting in the press box at Target at Progressive Field and he dropped on a bunt in the third inning or some crazy inning early in the game and we’re sitting there thinking, what is he doing? But you know, he, he’s kind of, he’s a freelancer almost. But in that situation, he, he did, you know, the. He Went by the book, the Blue Jays went by the book. And it’s paid off because Springer followed it with a three run homer. Joe Noga: Yeah, and, and that’s just doing what George Springer does and, and has done for years. We’ve seen it here in Cleveland many times. I go back to the, the 2018American League Division Series where he was with Houston and the Astros Swept Cleveland. Bringer hit.429 in those three games with a 1500 OPS. Three of his six hits went for home runs, went for solo home runs. And the Astros really dominated Cleveland in that. In that series. It’s a lot easier when you know what pitches are coming, I guess. And you would, you would think that Springer didn’t know what was coming in that at bat in the eighth inning last night, but, you know, this is a guy who’s climbing the charts in terms of all time postseason home runs. Paul Hoynes: Yeah, 23. All time. You know, postseason homers. You know, the leader is still Manny Ramirez with 29. I forgot about that. I knew Manny hit a lot of home runs in the postseason, but I didn’t, I didn’t. 29 was not the number I was focused on. But yes, Springer just, you know, coming off a bad year in 2024, he’s up for the comeback player of the year year by the, you know, MLB Players Association. He’s just, he, he. Some guys surface at, at the times when they’re, when they’re needed most, Joe. And, and this guy is one of them. He, they, they like to be in that spot. Not everybody does. But, but he’s one of those guys and he was doing it on a bum wheel. Right? He got hit in the knee a couple games ago and, but geez, oh, man, what a time to come through. And that crowd just. You, you got chills just listening to the crowd and watching the reaction to that home run. Joe Noga: Yeah, we’ve, we’ve seen the crowd there in Rogers center be a factor in, in the past and be a non factor in the past, you know, when Cleveland has gone in there and silenced that crowd in a postseason situation. You know, you could hear a pin drop in there at times. I go back to earlier, you know, the last two seasons I watched Daniel Schneemann hit two home runs late in the game and take a crowd completely out of that game between the Blue Jays and the Guardians. But last night it was definitely a factor. And, and you just sort of like you said, those, those. You get chills, you get goosebumps moments when Springer hit that home run you knew that place was rocking on the inside. So, you know, especially with the roof closed, it’s, it’s a really neat environment to, to see a game, to, to watch a game play. And we’re going to get to, to see at least two more. You know, hopefully more than that. As the World Series gets underway later on this week, Game one will be in Rogers Center. The first two games will be there, and it’ll be the, the Dodgers and the Blue Jays, the Southern California versus the Great White North. What, you know, what are your thoughts on a prediction here early for the World Series? Paul Hoynes: Boy, Joe. Joe Noga: Yeah. Paul Hoynes: Game one is Friday, and, you know, the Dodgers just what, what they did to Milwaukee, a good Milwaukee team, was, you know, awe inspiring. You know, I think they’ve got to be considered the favorite. You know, that lineup. They’ve got, you know, Showtime, you know, the greatest show on earth right now. Pitching and hitting would, I would think the Dodgers have the edge, but I think, you know, the thing I like about Toronto is one through nine. That lineup, they contribute. The bottom of that lineup is probably the reason, you know, outside of Vlad Guerrero, who was, you know, well deserved as the MVP of the Series, that bottom of the lineup is probably why they’re, they’re going to the World Series today. Joe, don’t you think the way they produce the 7, 8 and 9 hitters. Joe Noga: Yeah, they’re, they’re getting contributions up and down, but their lineup is, is long as, as you, you’ve said there. And, and The Dodgers have three MVPs. They have all Stars at, at all sorts of different positions. But I, I like the, the depth and the length out of the Blue Jays. Their bullpen, their bullpen is a little bit more of a certainty right now, I think, than the Dodgers. So, yeah, you still got to give the edge to the, to the Dodgers just based on the firepower. But, you know, I think it’ll be closer than maybe a couple of days ago after, after the Dodgers beat up on the Brewers. You think they’re just going to steamroll everybody. This is. I think the line moves a little bit closer to the middle now with, with the Blue Jays being the opponent for certain. And we don’t know who, who they’re going to start. Either team is going to start in game one on the mound. Could you imagine Shohei being the guy to, to, to. To start Game one if you’re the, The Dodgers. Paul Hoynes: Oh, man, they have so many options, though. They could go Glass now. They could go with Yamamoto. They would, could go with who’s Snell? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, they, they’ve got, they’ve got options up, though, you know, just coming out of their ears. You know, I would think they’d save Ohtani, you know, kind of, you know, since he’s really. He’s only pitched twice this postseason, so they might save him to. Later. Later in the series. Joe Noga: I might go with Snell in Game one and Ohtani in Game two. And that way, if you have to, you can bring Ohtani back for Game seven. But that all. That all depends, too. Maybe you start him and give him an extra day. If you start him in Game one, you can give him an extra day longer, which is kind of what he would be used to. So who knows? But yeah, there’s. There’s a lot of options, a lot of calculating going into that for sure. But, you know, shortly after the World Series ends, that’s when free agency begins and when teams can negotiate with their own free agents. And then five days after the completion of the World Series is when anybody can sign any free agent. Hearing some talk and some rumors about. Now that Seattle’s season is finished, teams might be interested in taking a look at Josh Naylor, who certainly played his way into some extra dollars this postseason with his performance. Where do you think Josh Naylor could end up and is there a possibility he ends up back in Cleveland? Paul Hoynes: Sure, I’d love to see him back in Cleveland. I think that’s what they need. They need some power and stability at first base, but I don’t see that happening. I just, you know, picked just from when. When Seattle was in town late last se this past season, but didn’t. I still don’t understand what was in. Why they traded him. And instead of just riding out the season with them, I’m talking about the Guard Guardians now traded them to Arizona in December and, but, and, and then traded for Santana. Now, I guess if we get the, if we got the good Santana, you could live with it, but, you know, Carlos was. Was on the downside or just had a bad year. I’m not sure what. But the downside of his career. I just don’t. I’m short. I just don’t see him coming back here. I think there’s other places where he definitely could end up, but I don’t think it’s going to be Cleveland. Joe Noga: And the first among those, I guess the first team that’s going to crack at. At signing him would be the Mariners. They. They get that exclusive window there to, to sign their own free agent first. They’ve they’ve got three main guys, Eugenio Suarez, Jorge Falanco and Josh Naylor. And, and they’ve made overtures and said that, that they would like to, to have a reunion there with Naylor. What do you think, what do you think Naylor could, could command on the open market? And what do you think he’s likely to, to sign even if it’s not with Seattle? Paul Hoynes: Well, he signed a one year, $10.9 million deal to avoid arbitration with Arizona this year. That was his last, you know, controllable year, I would think, Joe, this guy’s going to be worth 18 to 20 million a year. He could maybe a three to four, three to five year deal. I’m just spitballing here. Him, Alonzo, Pete Alonso and Naylor are the top free agents first baseman on the, on the market, I would imagine, Joe. I mean he’s, he, he put up a season where you know what he put up. The kind of season you’re supposed to put up when you’re, when you’re in your walk year, you know, with Arizona And Seattle, he had.295, 20 home runs, 92 RBI, 30 stolen bases, 8.816 OPS, 128 OPS plus. You know, he had 417 in the 80s ALCS, 61 and the ALDS. You know, this is a guy that, that has put himself in a prime situation to cash in and, and he. Joe Noga: Played good defensive first base. He’s a solid guy over there as well. So that’s what you’re getting if you’re a team that’s not Seattle. You know, like you mentioned Pete Alonso, the, the Mets might be in, in the market for a first baseman. Are, are the Yankees in the market? Could there be a reunion between Josh Naylor and the, the Yankees where Yankees fans get to get to rock the baby every time Josh Naylor comes around the bases. Where could he land if he doesn’t go back to Seattle? Paul Hoynes: Yeah, I think the Yankees are the Mets. New York is a, you know, a good situation, especially if the Mets lose. Lose. Alonzo, I read the White Sox were a team that might be interested, but I can’t see Naylor ending up in a White Sox. Who would he, he’s, he’s throwing his helmet and hit too many home runs against them to sign with the White Sox, I would imagine. But who knows if the White Sox, if they throw a lot of money at him and that’s what Josh wants, that’s what he’s. But I think when you have a taste of winning. I mean, he’s in Cleveland. He won this year in Seattle. You want to keep doing that. You want to get closer, you want to get to the World Series, not just knock on the door. And the White Sox are a long way from that. Joe Noga: Yeah. And, you know, one place that we know he’s not probably likely to end up would be Toronto because they’ve signed Vlad Guerrero at the beginning of this year to a long term extension at first base. And, and, you know, it makes sense that he might want to play there because it’s his hometown and, you know, it’s. It’s 10 minutes away from where he grew up, but maybe New York gives him that sort of proximity to his family then as well. So. So who knows? You know, a lot of different options. Any team I think right now that. That watched this postseason would be happy to take Josh Naylor would find a place for him on their roster. So, you know, not likely a reunion in Cleveland. I think they’re going in a different direction. Improbable that he would be going to his hometown in Toronto. So a lot of. A lot of different options for the former Guardian. And you know, of course, there’s. There’s always the connection with his brother here in Cleveland, but probably not something that that’s going to materialize as we move on in the postseason. All right, Hoinsey, that’s going to wrap up today’s edition of the Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast. We continue to look forward to the World Series and all the offseason moves that the Guardians are making here when we get back to you again on Wednesday. Good deal.
