Josh Naylor Activated by Guardians After Over a Month Out with Oblique Injury

The Guardians have activated first baseman Josh Naylor from the injured list after he spent over a month recovering from an oblique injury. This return will bolster Cleveland’s lineup as they push for the playoffs in September.

Naylor sustained the injury on July 31 during a game against Houston and has not played since then. Prior to the injury, the 26-year-old was having a standout season.

With a batting average of .306, 15 home runs, and 79 RBIs, Naylor has been one of the top performers for the Guardians this season. Despite missing the past month, he ranks second on the team in home runs and first in RBIs.

Naylor returned as the designated hitter in the third spot of the lineup for the Guardians’ game against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Cleveland will face the first-place Minnesota Twins in a three-game series starting Monday.

To make room for Naylor on the roster, outfielder Oscar Gonzalez was optioned to Triple-A Columbus.

Prior to rejoining the Guardians, Naylor played a few games with Double-A Akron to prepare for his return. He has been with Cleveland for three full seasons after being acquired in a trade with the San Diego Padres in 2020.

Manager Terry Francona had been utilizing various players at first base in Naylor’s absence, with Kole Calhoun, acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 9, making a significant impact on the team’s offense. Calhoun has a batting average of .271 with three home runs and 16 RBIs in 22 games.