Josh Naylor Embraces the Challenge in Seattle with Enthusiasm
The new Seattle Mariners batter, Josh Naylor, sees pressure as a privilege. In his first appearance with the team against the Los Angeles Angels, Naylor expressed his excitement about taking on the challenge of batting in the fourth position of the lineup. “I love the word pressure,” said Naylor, a rookie who was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks. “I think it’s a gift, a position that God gives you because he knows you can handle it.” Naylor, 28 years old, had a debut with a single in four at-bats, although the Angels won the game 3-2 in 10 innings.Despite not being known for his defense, Naylor has always stood out with the bat.
As a left-handed hitter, Naylor has a .267 average with a .773 OPS in his seven seasons in the Major Leagues. He joins the Mariners after batting .292 with an .807 OPS, 11 home runs, 19 doubles, 59 RBIs, 49 strikeouts, and 37 walks in 93 games with the Diamondbacks this season. With experience in 19 playoff games with the Cleveland Guardians, Naylor also has a .294 average with an OPS of .846 with runners in scoring position. Before Friday’s game, his average was .298 (28 of 94) and an OPS of .810 in those situations this season. This history has earned Naylor a key position in Seattle’s lineup, behind Cal Raleigh, MLB leader with 39 home runs and tied for second place with 84 RBIs. Seattle’s fifth batter is Randy Arozarena, who before Friday had 19 home runs and 51 RBIs. The Mariners’ manager, Dan Wilson, commented on Naylor’s incorporation:Naylor should be a considerable offensive upgrade at first base over Donovan Solano, who is batting .243 with an OPS of .626, 3 home runs and 20 RBIs in 64 games, and Luke Raley, who is batting .220 with an OPS of .691, 4 home runs and 18 RBIs in 49 games. To make room on the 26-player roster for Naylor, utility player Miles Mastrobuoni was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma. Naylor expressed his enthusiasm for joining the Mariners, who fell to 55-49 with Friday’s loss.“I think he fits in well because of the way he hits. He’s a player who will have a great focus in those RBI situations. He’s been through a lot. I’ve seen some of his postseasons, so he brings a lot of valuable experience to the group, and that will only improve what has already been a very special season with this group.”
Dan Wilson
“I’ve heard incredible things about this organization, about this team, about how hard they play. They are a tough group. Obviously, the pitching speaks for itself, they are phenomenal in that aspect. The offense is also great. Raleigh is having an incredible year. It’s super cool to see it from the outside. Julio Rodriguez is a leader, a phenomenal player and athlete, he changes the game. I’m very excited to be here and be a part of this and see how I can contribute”.
Josh Naylor
