Back in July 2025, the Seattle Mariners acquired first baseman Josh Naylor in a trade that proved to be one of the club’s most impactful moves of the season. Naylor helped fuel Seattle’s push to the postseason, marking the franchise’s first playoff appearance in four years. His performance quickly made Naylor a fan-favorite. As a result, the Mariners rewarded him with a five-year, $92.5 million contract after he reached free agency in November of 2025.
Now, as Seattle’s 2026 season has fallen short of the high expectations set by fans and analysts alike, Naylor has found himself at the center of a new wave of controversy, one that predates his time in the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle Mariners vs. Cleveland Guardians
On June 28, 2026, the Mariners and Cleveland Guardians wrapped up their series. During the final game, Naylor came to the plate with Seattle holding the lead and a runner in scoring position.
What followed sparked a tense exchange and reignited conversations about the first baseman’s reputation.
Guardians reliever Tim Herrin hit Naylor with a pitch on the elbow, sending him to first base. While it initially appeared to be a routine hit-by-pitch, replay angles led some viewers to question whether Naylor intentionally leaned his elbow into the pitch to draw the call.
The incident prompted a heated exchange between Naylor and Guardians catcher Austin Hedges, his former teammate in Cleveland. During the confrontation, Hedges could be heard telling Naylor something along the lines of, “No one likes you. Literally nobody likes you.” Additional words were exchanged between the two, though much of the conversation was difficult to make out.
Josh Naylor History
The confrontation then prompted another former teammate to share a story on social media. Stone Garrett, who played alongside Naylor in the Miami Marlins‘ minor league system in 2016, took to Instagram. In a comment, Garrett gave an account of what he described as repeated pranks by Naylor, including one that allegedly resulted in a serious injury.
“Josh Naylor liked to play stupid games. Dude would come into our apartment (we were neighbors) with aerosol and lighters multiple times, that wasn’t his first time in our apartment with a butchers knife, the guy hid in my closet waiting for me to get home, when I went to hang my shirt up he jumped out with a knife pointed at me. It caught my thumb, sliced it wide open, I went to the ER (he waits for me when I get back, first question is ‘are you gonna press charges?’) next day coach holds team meeting saying front office wants to keep it hush hush lmao!!!”
“I get surgery (he cut my nerve, still can’t feel my right thumb), he got suspended for one game lol, two weeks later he goes to the futures game and gets traded. He is the most psychotic person I’ve ever met in my life.”
Garrett’s version has not been verified. It serves as another side to the story that was initially reported on back when it happened in 2016.
Seattle Mariners
Despite the renewed scrutiny, Naylor’s reputation within the Mariners clubhouse appears to remain strong. Just last week, starting pitcher Bryan Woo called him one of the best teammates he’s ever had. He praised the veteran’s presence in the clubhouse. Naylor has also become known for his close bond with the team’s clubhouse dog, Tucker.
While Seattle has struggled to meet preseason expectations in 2026, the Mariners remain firmly in the AL West race. Much of that has been due to Naylor. Despite a slow start, Naylor has begun to find his rhythm at the plate during the club’s recent stretch.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post What’s Going On With Josh Naylor and the Seattle Mariners? appeared first on HEAVY.