The Seattle Mariners have gained left-handed hitting first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona club. The Diamondbacks are receiving left-handed pitcher Brandyn Garcia and right-handed pitcher Ashton Izzi in exchange. The Diamondbacks made the transaction known on Thursday evening.
This action unfolds one week prior to the July 31 Major League Baseball trade deadline, suggesting the Diamondbacks are likely to actively trade players leading up to that date.
This season, the 28-year-old Naylor has achieved a batting line of .292/.360/.447 (124 OPS+) with 11 home runs across 93 games for Arizona. Throughout his career, he holds an OPS+ of 114 spanning seven major-league seasons, and during this time, he has an .812 OPS against right-handed pitchers. His inaugural and thus far solitary All-Star selection was in 2024, while playing for the Cleveland Guardians.
This season, Naylor is due the remaining portion of a $10.9 million salary and is eligible for free agency during the upcoming offseason. As Naylor has been traded mid-season, he is not eligible to receive a qualifying offer as he enters free agency.
In Seattle, it is anticipated that Naylor will replace Luke Raley as the primary first baseman — potentially within an ongoing platoon arrangement alongside Donovan Solano — or they might experiment with different combinations, including time at designated hitter. Irrespective of the specifics, Naylor’s ability to effectively hit against right-handed pitching will significantly benefit the Seattle offense.
This transaction occurs as the Mariners aim to maintain their position in the American League wild-card race and strive to reduce the Houston Astros’ six-game advantage in the AL West. As of Thursday, BetMGM indicates the Mariners have -200 odds to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
From Arizona’s viewpoint, the 25-year-old Garcia was previously an 11th-round selection from Texas A&M. He possesses a high-velocity fastball and has alternated between starting and relief roles in the minor leagues. However, this season, he has exclusively pitched out of the bullpen, which includes a few appearances for the Mariners. Izzi, aged 21, was a fourth-round pick directly out of high school. Across three minor-league seasons, he has posted a 4.13 ERA in 47 starts, accompanied by a 1.84 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His performance in the High-A Northwest League has been inconsistent this year.
As stated before, the Naylor trade signifies that Arizona is likely to make additional moves, given their possession of several enticing assets for potential trades. The club implied this earlier on Thursday. “I believe it is our responsibility to enhance our team with the resources at our disposal, which includes improving our future prospects,” Hall stated during a radio appearance on Arizona Sports. “This involves acquiring additional assets to strengthen our farm system, which has steadily improved over the years.
“While our preference is to acquire players rather than sell, we must be realistic and recognize that such decisions are not made on the final day of the deadline. Extensive planning is essential.”
The Diamondbacks had high aspirations for contention in 2025; however, circumstances like the loss of their star pitcher Corbin Burnes due to Tommy John surgery, unfortunate incidents, and some underperformance have led to their current situation — being 5 ½ games away from a playoff spot in the challenging National League and trailing several teams. Therefore, Naylor’s trade is likely just the beginning, and the players following him out of Arizona are expected to be even more prominent.
