Shouting Match With Austin Hedges Sheds Light on Josh Naylor’s Guardians Exit

Josh Naylor and Austin Hedges got into it over the weekend. A shouting match between the former Guardians teammates has pulled back the curtain on why Naylor was really traded out of Cleveland last offseason. And it turns out, there were a few reasons he was already unhappy with the organization before the deal happened.

According to a report from The Athletic’s Zack Meisel, Naylor was “especially upset” about the Guardians trading starting pitcher Aaron Civale at the 2023 deadline. The two were close friends, and Naylor reportedly did not understand why Cleveland would move a productive arm when the team was still trying to compete. That frustration lingered.

Then came the extension talks — or the lack of them. The Guardians apparently never seriously planned to sign Naylor to a long-term contract in 2024. That kind of thing matters to a player, especially one who gave the team everything he had on the field. Naylor was an All-Star in 2024, hitting a career-high 31 homers. And they still let him go that December rather than pay up.

So now you have a pretty clear picture. A guy who wanted to stay in Cleveland ended up being shipped out because the front office didn’t value him the way he valued them. And his frustration didn’t just evaporate when he put on a Mariners uniform. That’s where the Hedges thing comes in. Hedges, back with Cleveland, crossed paths with Naylor over the weekend and things got heated. Those old feelings are clearly still there.

From the outside, the Guardians trade looked like business as usual for a small-market team. They moved an impact bat before he hit free agency and got something back. But Naylor’s unhappiness with the Civale trade and the lack of an extension offer shows this wasn’t just a normal transaction. There was real tension behind the scenes.

Cleveland’s offense is one of the worst in baseball right now. And Naylor, even if he’s not having his best season with Seattle, would still be an upgrade over what the Guardians are running out there. That has to sting a little for a fanbase that watched him play with so much energy for five years.

Naylor is now trying to lead a talented Mariners team to the playoffs. And it wouldn’t be surprising at all if Cleveland and Seattle end up meeting in October. That would make for some very interesting conversations in the handshake line.