The Seattle Mariners will be holding their breath after losing their starting first baseman on Sunday.
Josh Naylor was removed from today's game against the Washington Nationals after fouling a ball off his right shin in the top of the sixth inning. Although Naylor was able to finish out his at-bat, he was removed from the contest in the bottom half and replaced by Patrick Wisdom at first base.
The Mariners have yet to provide an update on Naylor's status, but it's possible that he could be headed for X-Rays.
Naylor is off to a slow start with the Mariners this season after re-signing on a five-year, $92.5 million contract in the offseason. In 68 games, Naylor is slashing .253/.315/.372 with a .687 OPS, eight home runs and 32 RBI.
Naylor was excellent down the stretch of last season after the Mariners acquired him from the Arizona Diamondbacks ahead of the MLB trade deadline. In 54 games, Naylor batted .299 with a .831 OPS, nine homers and 33 RBI while helping Seattle capture the AL West division title.
His success carried over into the postseason last October as well. In 12 playoff games, Naylor hit .340 with a .966 OPS and three homers. He helped lead the Mariners all the way to Game 7 of the ALCS, their best finish in franchise history.
Prior to coming to the Mariners, Naylor spent 4.5 seasons with the Cleveland Guardians before playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks for the first 93 games last year. He began his big-league career with the San Diego Padres.
The Mariners entered play today with a 37-35 record and two-game lead over the Athletics in the AL West. They're currently trailing the Nationals by a score of 7-1.
They will hope that Naylor doesn't have to miss time after fouling a pitch off his shin today.
