The Seattle Mariners opened their three-game series against the New York Mets with a 3-2 victory Monday night, but the win came with a scare after first baseman Josh Naylor exited the game with an apparent injury.
Naylor continued his strong form from May by launching a game-tying home run in the seventh inning off reliever Brooks Raley. It marked his 39th game-tying or go-ahead hit in the seventh inning or later since 2021, the most in Major League Baseball during that span. Philadelphia Phillies slugger Adolis García ranks second with 34.
However, by the time Naylor rounded the bases and returned to the Seattle dugout, his back had tightened up, forcing him to leave the game. Patrick Wisdom replaced him at first base to begin the eighth inning.
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According to manager Dan Wilson, Naylor was dealing with back spasms that appeared to originate during his home run swing.
"I believe it was more on the swing, on the home run," Wilson said, via Associated Press. "And when he got back in, it was tight."
Wilson added that Naylor is considered day-to-day, leaving his availability for Tuesday night's game uncertain.
The 28-year-old finished 1-for-3 with the solo homer. The blast was his sixth of the season and his first since May 8, snapping a 20-game home run drought.
Naylor arrived in Seattle at last year's trade deadline in a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and immediately made an impact, helping the Mariners make a deep postseason run. He hit .299 with nine home runs, 33 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 54 games following the trade.
His strong finish earned him a five-year, $92.5 million contract extension during the offseason, solidifying his place as Seattle's long-term answer at first base. However, both Naylor and the Mariners' offense struggled out of the gate in 2026.
The veteran first baseman hit just .102 with two RBIs through Seattle's first 15 games before turning things around in May. Since then, he has batted .296 with one home run, three doubles and nine RBIs across 108 at-bats.
For the season, Naylor owns a .254 batting average, a .317 on-base percentage, six home runs and 25 RBIs in 57 games. With Seattle looking to maintain its lead in the AL West, his health will be something to monitor closely over the coming days.
