Diamondbacks acquire Canadian 1st baseman Josh Naylor from Guardians
The Arizona Diamondbacks made a major move on Saturday by acquiring all-star first baseman Josh Naylor from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for right-handed pitcher Slade Cecconi. In addition to Cecconi, Cleveland will also receive Arizona’s 2025 competitive balance round B draft pick. This trade comes shortly after the Guardians signed veteran first baseman Carlos Santana to a one-year, $12 million US deal.
Naylor, who made his first all-star team last season, had an impressive year with 31 home runs and 108 RBIs in 152 games. The 27-year-old slugger will be filling the void left by Christian Walker, who recently signed a lucrative deal with the Houston Astros. Naylor, originally a first-round draft pick by the Miami Marlins in 2015, has accumulated 84 home runs and 343 RBIs in 598 games over six seasons.
On the other side of the trade, Cecconi, 25, struggled last season with a 6.66 ERA in 20 appearances for the Diamondbacks. However, he showed promise with a 3.06 ERA in 18 games at Class AAA Reno in 2024. Cecconi, a six-foot-four, 220-pounder, was Arizona’s competitive balance round A selection in 2020 and has a 20-19 record with a 4.73 ERA in three minor-league seasons.
Meanwhile, veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is set to join the New York Yankees on a one-year deal worth $12.5 million US. Goldschmidt, 37, is coming off a disappointing season with a career-low .245 batting average and 22 home runs. Despite his struggles in 2024, Goldschmidt had productive seasons in 2022 and 2023, including winning the National League MVP award in 2022 with the St. Louis Cardinals. In his career, Goldschmidt has amassed a .289 batting average with 362 home runs and 1,187 RBIs.
In other news, the Yankees signed right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga to a one-year extension with a club option for 2026. Loaisiga, 30, is recovering from surgery for a torn UCL in his elbow but could return as early as April. In seven seasons with the Yankees, Loaisiga has a 19-11 record with a 3.44 ERA and seven saves in 163 appearances.
These roster moves signal a shift in the landscape of Major League Baseball as teams gear up for the upcoming season. Stay tuned for more updates as the offseason progresses.
