The Cleveland Guardians are currently facing a complex and precarious situation in their 2025 season. With a record of 39 wins and 37 losses, they find themselves trailing the division-leading Detroit Tigers by a significant margin of 8.5 games. This places them in a tough spot regarding the American League Central division race. However, the Wild Card race presents a much more realistic opportunity for postseason contention, provided the team plays consistently well in the coming weeks.
For a while, some analysts and fans speculated that the Guardians might consider selling off assets at the upcoming trade deadline if they failed to make a noticeable push in the standings. That narrative, however, is now being challenged. According to Jim Bowden — a former MLB general manager who now works as a senior writer for The Athletic — Cleveland is currently looking to strengthen its roster rather than break it apart. Bowden reports that the Guardians are considering buying at the deadline, at least for the time being, which may come as a surprise to those who anticipated a midseason sell-off.
What’s even more unexpected is the name Bowden has floated as a potential trade target: Josh Naylor. During a recent segment, Bowden noted, “You miss Josh Naylor a lot. I’m not opposed to bringing him back either, by the way, and making a trade. If Arizona has a bad month of July, I wouldn’t be afraid to go bring him back for the rest of the year either.”
The Arizona Diamondbacks, Naylor’s current team, were 39-38 as of Monday afternoon — a record that places them in a similar standing to the Guardians. However, the National League Wild Card picture is more crowded and competitive. Should the Diamondbacks stumble in the next few weeks, they might decide to move some of their veteran pieces, including Naylor. If that happens, Cleveland could very well explore the possibility of reacquiring a player they’re already familiar with.
Naylor previously had a productive stint in Cleveland, hitting 31 home runs and recording 108 RBIs last season. While his offensive output would undoubtedly help the Guardians, a significant obstacle lies in his positional fit. Cleveland already has Carlos Santana handling first base duties and a crowded designated hitter rotation that includes Kyle Manzardo and David Fry. Without making other roster adjustments or experimenting with Fry at different positions, a reunion with Naylor may not be practical at the moment.
That said, anything is possible — especially with Chris Antonetti leading the team’s front office. Antonetti has shown a willingness to get creative in past trade scenarios, so while there are logistical challenges, a move for Naylor can’t be entirely ruled out.
