After some uncertainty regarding his status for Game 3, Mariners star first baseman Josh Naylor is in the lineup Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers.
He’ll bat fifth in the order.
Mariners Manager Dan Wilson confirmed this to me at the team’s pregame press conference.
Naylor’s wife has been very close to delivering the couple’s first child, which meant Naylor went back to Arizona, where the couple lived before his trade to Seattle. So he was not on the initial team flight to Detroit, but was able to make it for this pivotal Game 3.
Naylor has the highest batting average of everyday players in the Mariners batting order. Batting .292 with 20 home runs and a remarkable 30 stolen bases.
It is highly commendable of Naylor to have the foresight to put family first for a monumental occasion, and his addition to the team has been a tremendous boost on the field and in the clubhouse.