Cleveland, OH– The city of Cleveland is known for it’s passionate fans. Guardians’ first baseman Josh Naylor fits in perfectly with the culture of Cleveland fandom. Since Naylor joined the club in August of 2020, as a part of the Mike Clevinger-to-San Diego trade, he’s been the heart of the team. In saying that…Naylor wears his heart on his sleeve. He plays with the type of passion that ignites his teammates. Steven Kwan was asked last season – what makes Josh Naylor the best teammate in baseball. Kwan answered with, “The guy’s a lover. Period. That’s all it is.”
Josh Naylor against Oakland
Fast forward to the start of the 2024 season and Naylor is still proving he has power to go along with his heart. He’s batting .325 with six homeruns and 20 RBI. The first baseman helped the Guardians complete the series sweep of the A’s on Sunday afternoon with a clutch 3-run double in the 7th inning.
Naylor also added some spice in Saturday’s game against Oakland with a two-run homer to give the Guards the lead. In true fashion he was visibly amped. The bat flip was one for the ages, with a tip to the helmet and a spike to the ground.
That's Josh Naylor, man. ☝️#ForTheLand | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.com/ZeCe5rsiId
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) April 21, 2024
Skipper Stephen Vogt weighed in after the game saying, “Josh Naylor, man. Emotional and charismatic and as long as he didn’t concuss himself, I’m all right.”
Yes, Naylor is intense. However, there’s skill under his emotional side and Guardians President of Baseball Operations, Chris Antonetti, raved about the hitter Naylor is “I think we’re seeing Josh continue to develop into one of the best hitters in the American League. There’s really not much in the batter’s box that he’s not capable of doing. He obviously hits for average, is impacting the ball at really productive angles, does a really good job with two strikes…when runners are on base he puts the ball in play.”
Naylor sums it up personally when he said, “Good things happen when you play hard.” Cleveland fans are seeing the results of not only Josh playing hard but the rest of the team as well. As of Sunday night, the Guardians own the best record in baseball (16-6) and there’s an undeniable energy in this squad. Yes, it’s early and there’s a lot of baseball to play but it sure feels good to come out of the gate hot.
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