The Cleveland Guardians are one of the more disappointing teams in Major League Baseball this season.
At 40-38, the team is eight-and-a-half games back from the Detroit Tigers for first place in the American League Central.
Cleveland is only half-a-game back from the third AL wild card spot, but the team has underperformed after trading star first baseman Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the offseason.
Cleveland had no plans of signing Naylor long-term and decided to move him with one year remaining on his contract.
Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan have carried the Guardians, but without Naylor’s thump in the middle of the lineup, the team has struggled to replace his production.
Cameron Zunkel of ClutchPoints believes the Guardians should re-acquire Naylor to make a real postseason push.
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From Arizona’s perspective, moving Naylor can help the team bring in good prospects as sort of a retool.
“Trading Josh Naylor would help the team bring in a few high-level prospects that could make a difference in the next few years,” wrote Zunkel.
Cleveland has missed Naylor’s stability. According to Zunkel, Cleveland is slashing .230/.301/.372, and they have scored the sixth-fewest runs in the MLB.
This season, Naylor has 10 home runs and 53 RBI while slashing .307/.363/.479 in 76 games.
“He has been one of the most consistent hitters in the MLB this year, and that is exactly what the Guardians are looking for,” wrote Zunkel. “Because of his value, it would cost a few prospects that the Guardians might not be willing to give up.”
The Guardians should have never traded Naylor, but bringing him back may give the club its best chance at playing October baseball.
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