The Major League rumor mill has the Diamondbacks dealing Josh Naylor to the Padres, Red Sox, Giants, Mariners or some other playoff contender that needs an upgrade at first base ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.

Slade Cecconi isn’t going anywhere.

Dec. 21, the Guardians spoiled the Christmas spirit of their fans by trading Naylor, who in 2024 hit 31 homers and drove in 108 runs, to the Diamondbacks for Cecconi, who in 2024 was 2-7 with a 6.66 ERA. The Diamondbacks also sent Cleveland their 2025 Competitive Balance Round B draft pick in the trade. That, it turns out, will be the 70th pick in the MLB draft July 13.

The only similarity between Cecconi when he pitched for the Diamondbacks and the way he is pitching for the Guardians is he still has a beard. He is 4-4 with a 3.44 ERA in 10 starts. He earned the win July 9 in Houston while allowing two runs in five innings in the 4-2 victory that completed a three-game sweep of the first-place team in the American League West.

“Slade is a completely different pitcher now from when he first came here,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “It just seems like Slade each and every time out is improving.”

Cecconi, 26, pitched in seven games for the Diamondbacks in 2023. He was still considered a rookie in 2024 when he posted that 6.66 ERA in 20 starts. He has become a pitcher, not just a thrower, working under the guidance of Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis.

“I think the diversity of my arsenal has really helped,” Cecconi said after allowing two earned runs in six innings of a 2-1 loss to the Tigers on July 4. “Last year, if there was a day where I didn’t have my heater, it was going to be a long day.

“Today we were able to use the sinker. We were able to use multiple off-speed pitches to righties and lefties. And later in the game, when I did find my heater, it was nice to be able to go back to being efficient and pounding the strike zone with it. But in those situations where I don’t have my best one or two pitches, I can still get guys out in those situations and not have to just give in.”

Cecconi throws a four-seam fastball 40% of the time, a slider 26%, a curveball 17%, a sinker 10%, a change-up 6% and a cutter just 1% of the time. Cecconi’s fastball averages 94.4 mph. His sinker averages 93.3 mph.

“They (Willis and the Guardians pitching coaches) helped me immensely,” Cecconi said. “It was great that I got traded here. Our interests were aligned, and we were able to just get right to work on things. Identifying that I needed to make some changes with pitch usage and add some pitches to my arsenal was big. And then just developing them and learning how to use them and when to use them.”

He isn’t batting 1.000, but Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti usually makes the right call when he trades an established player for one with potentially more upside. The same fans who were upset when Naylor was traded were upset when starting pitcher Aaron Civale was traded to the Rays for first base prospect Kyle Manzardo at the trade deadline in 2023. The Rays traded Civale to the Brewers in 2024. The Brewers traded him to the White Sox last month.

Manzardo, meanwhile, has 13 home runs and 33 RBI as the Guardians first baseman/designated hitter. He isn’t arbitration eligible until 2028 and doesn’t hit free agency until 2031.

Naylor is hitting .296 with 11 home runs and 58 RBI for the Diamondbacks. There is no doubt the Guardians miss the thump Naylor provided in the lineup, not to mention his leadership in the clubhouse, but Carlos Santana (10 home runs, 38 RBI, .230) would not be on the roster if Naylor were still with the Guardians. Santana is better defensively at first base.

Naylor will be a free agent at the conclusion of the World Series. He will make more money than the Guardians are willing to pay when he negotiates his upcoming contract, so Antonetti swapped him for a reliable starting pitcher that will be under control through 2030.