Guardians Open to Trade Offers for Josh Naylor and Lane Thomas

The Cleveland Guardians are open to trade offers for first baseman Josh Naylor and outfielder Lane Thomas, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. It remains unclear which teams might be interested or if any significant offers have already been received.

This move is not entirely unexpected. In late October, MLBTR identified both Naylor and Thomas as potential trade candidates for this offseason. Like many smaller-market teams, the Guardians often consider trading players as they become more expensive and approach free agency. Both Naylor and Thomas are just one year away from free agency, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting Naylor's salary at $12 million and Thomas's at $8.3 million for the upcoming season.

These salary projections are reasonable for their performances, but the Guardians, much like the Rays and Brewers, typically trade solid yet pricier players for younger, more affordable options to maintain a competitive roster. This strategy has previously led to trades involving notable players such as Francisco Lindor, Carlos Carrasco, and Corey Kluber.

Josh Naylor, who will turn 28 in June, has been a reliable presence in the Cleveland lineup over the past three years. While he doesn't draw many walks, he avoids strikeouts and has hit at least 17 home runs each season, including 31 last year. His combined .267/.330/.465 batting line over this period translates to a 121 wRC+, meaning he was 21% better than the league average offensively.

Defensively, Naylor has been fairly solid, with 10 Outs Above Average at first base over nearly 3,000 innings. Although his Defensive Runs Saved is -4, this figure was positive before a -6 rating in 2024, which may be an anomaly.

​Overall, Naylor's offensive and defensive contributions, along with a few stolen bases, have made him worth approximately two to three wins above replacement per year. For his projected salary, Naylor is likely to attract significant interest this offseason.