JUST IN: Guardians-Blue Jays trade inching closer with Cincinnati Reds’ deal for Josh Naylor

Josh Naylor, a first baseman with the Cleveland Guardians, has previously been connected to the Cincinnati Reds this offseason, and the whispers will only intensify following Tuesday’s transaction. The Guardians sold infield prospect Spencer Horwitz and outfielder Nick Mitchell to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for second baseman Andres Giménez and bullpen pitcher Nick Sandlin, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

This puts the Guardians in a bit of a logjam at first base. Naylor, Horwitz, and Kyle Manzardo will now compete for playing time for Cleveland. It’s highly probable that the former All-Star will be moving this winter as Naylor enters his final year of arbitration, which will cost him about $12 million.

Bizarre Guardians-Blue Jays trade will fuel speculation of Reds deal for Josh Naylor

Naylor isn’t necessarily a perfect fit for the Reds. With Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Jeimer Candelario, and Spencer Steer, Cincinnati already has plenty of depth at first base. But Naylor is a known commodity who could absolutely rake at Great American Ball Park. The 27-year-old launched 31 bombs in 2024 and, according to Baseball Savant, he’d have crushed 37 at GABP.

 

 

Naylor shouldn’t cost the Reds a lot in exchange because they only have one year left to control the franchise. Additionally, it’s possible that Cincinnati and Cleveland might agree on a larger trade package that would include outfielder Lane Thomas of the Guardians. Additionally, the former centerfielder for the Washington Nationals is in the last year of his arbitration window.

With Travis Bazanna, a previous first-round choice, waiting in the wings, Giménez’ trade may seem like a strange move on the part of the Guardians, but it might end up being a good move for Cleveland. Like the Tampa Bay Rays, the Guardians never hold on to players for too long. Cleveland is already looking to move on when they go to arbitration.

In this case, it could be quite advantageous to their intrastate competitor. It will be interesting to watch if the Guards’ agreement with the Blue Jays sparks additional discussion at this week’s Winter Meetings. If that’s the case, Dallas could provide the extra punch the Reds were seeking.