Outlook Josh Naylor
Josh Naylor Looks to Shake Off Brief Slump as First-Place Mariners Head to Detroit
Josh Naylor has hit a minor speed bump over the last week, batting just .158, but his larger sample remains solid with a .286 average and eight stolen bases over his last 30 games. He continues to secure his role as Seattle's everyday first baseman, a critical anchor for a first-place Mariners squad (33-30) that is currently missing catcher Cal Raleigh to injury.
While his current .250 season average sits below his .272 rest-of-season projection, Naylor's speed has been a revelation with 12 steals already, putting him on pace to approach his career-high 32 swipes from 2025. Our models expect his current modest power pace (six homers) to pick up and align closer to his projected 20-homer season ceiling, making him a rare speed-and-power threat at first base.
With the week already underway, the Mariners have three games remaining in Detroit starting Friday. Naylor will face Framber Valdez (4.39 ERA), Keider Montero (3.69 ERA), and Jack Flaherty, who presents a highly favorable matchup due to his 5.53 ERA and 1.66 WHIP. Keep him active in all formats. Verdict: Start.
Updated 1 day ago
Latest News Josh Naylor
Outlook Nick Gonzales
Nick Gonzales is sizzling at the plate, making him a must-start despite a tough upcoming slate of pitchers.
Nick Gonzales has been absolutely sizzling over the last week, batting .455 with two home runs and eight runs scored to boost the second-place Pirates (33-29). Despite a brief scare with knee discomfort in late May, he has avoided the injured list and remains locked in as Pittsburgh's everyday third baseman.
Currently sporting a stellar .314 average on the year, Gonzales is vastly outperforming our model's projection of .259. While his recent power surge is likely to undergo some regression, his dramatically improved plate discipline this season suggests that his emergence as a high-average asset is entirely sustainable.
For the remainder of the week, the Pirates face a challenging road stretch against Houston and Atlanta. He will match up against Kai-Wei Teng (2.72 ERA) on Thursday before facing tough Braves starters like Martin Perez and Spencer Strider. Despite these difficult matchups, his elite current form makes him a mandatory option. Verdict: Start.
Updated 1 day ago
