Red Sox Trade Idea Lands Diamondbacks First Baseman Josh Naylor originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Boston Red Sox have a hole at first base after Triston Casas went down for the season. With Rafael Devers refusing to take over at first, the Red Sox have to look elsewhere for a first base solution. Fortunately, there are a few options likely to be available.
Advertisement
In one scenario, a trade idea between the Red Sox and the Arizona Diamondbacks could land Josh Naylor as the new first baseman in Boston. After the Casas injury and the Devers refusal, the Red Sox have a dire need at first base. Naylor would be a great addition for Boston.
Naylor would not only be a good fit, but he’d be a realistic target for the Red Sox as well. According to Ken Rosenthal and Eno Sarris of The Athletic, the Diamondbacks’ first baseman is a strong candidate to be traded.
Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers (11) hits a home run against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning at Fenway Park.David Butler II-Imagn Images
“If Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor… gets moved,” Rosenthal and Sarris write. “They need to land with two of these three teams: The Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, and San Francisco Giants.”
Advertisement
As with most trade targets, the Red Sox would have some competition for Naylor. But, as Naylor is on a one-year deal in Arizona and is a free agent after the year, his price tag would be less than some of the other options around the league.
Naylor will turn 28 years old on June 22nd and will be in the middle of his seventh MLB season. In 2024, Naylor was named to the All-Star team as he clobbered 31 home runs.
While his home run number might not eclipse his 2024 total, Naylor has been an overall better hitter in 2025. Through 252 at-bats, Naylor has 76 hits, 16 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 33 runs scored, and 45 RBIs. He’s also struck out 35 times and walked 22 times.
In 2024, Naylor finished the year with a .243 batting average. Through the first 66 games in 2025, Naylor is batting .302. His OPS sits at .826, and his slugging percentage (.468) is also higher than his All-Star year number (.456).
Advertisement
Overall, Naylor is a better hitter in 2025 than he was in 2024. Acquiring someone like him would be a huge boost to the Red Sox’s offense down the stretch of the season.
Related: Red Sox Get Great Injury Update on $90 Million Outfielder
Related: Red Sox Get Good News on Potential Trade Return For Flame-Throwing Closer
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.