TRADING FOR JOSH NAYLOR FEELS ICKY TO ME

It seems the Yankees are ready to move on from Anthony Rizzo at first base, and somehow Josh Naylor of the Cleveland Indians has entered the conversation as a potential “top target.” Let’s be real: Naylor might have some pop in his bat, but do the Yankees really need this guy? He’s a decent player—sure, 31 home runs and 108 RBI last season are nothing to sneeze at—but he’s also the kind of trashy, overhyped player Yankees fans can’t stand, especially since he plays like he’s got a permanent chip on his shoulder against the Bronx. Not exactly the vibes you want on a team with championship aspirations.

Naylor is in the final year of his rookie deal and set to make around $14 million in arbitration, which, let’s face it, is a lot to pay for a guy who just slashed .243/.320/.456. Sure, he earned his first All-Star nod in 2024, but that’s more of a "good for you" moment than proof he’s a game-changer. The idea of him hitting behind Aaron Judge and maybe Juan Soto in the Yankees lineup is enough to make Cleveland fans shudder, but do we really think Naylor’s got what it takes to make that kind of impact in the Bronx? Doubtful.

The trade rumors have already started, with some suggesting Cleveland could send Naylor to New York for lefty Nestor Cortes. On paper, it sounds plausible: the Indians desperately need pitching, and the Yankees, while short on first basemen, have a slight surplus of arms. Cortes, who posted a 3.77 ERA in 2024, is coming off an injury but is a known quantity with All-Star potential. Naylor, on the other hand, feels like a gamble, especially when you consider the Yankees could easily look elsewhere in free agency or give their own prospects a chance.

Here’s the good news for Yankee fans: Cleveland probably won’t move Naylor anyway. As much as I’d love to see him flame out under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium, the Indians would be losing a huge bat from their lineup—one they can’t afford to replace. Naylor might be a fit for someone else, but the Yankees don’t need him. They need reliability, not another fiery personality who’s as likely to ignite a rally as he is to ignite a rivalry. Let Cleveland keep their big bat with the big mouth. The Yankees have bigger fish to fry.