WASHINGTON -- Although the Mariners will add a few reinforcements from the injured list upon returning to Seattle, this three-city road trip has nonetheless been brutal for guys going down.
Josh Naylor became the latest casualty during Sunday’s 10-1 loss at Nationals Park, when he was forced to exit shortly after hitting a hard foul ball into his right shin in the sixth inning.
Then Andrés Muñoz departed his first outing since Monday after issuing a leadoff walk and double to begin the eighth inning, which Mariners manager Dan Wilson revealed postgame was due to lower back tightness.
Muñoz preferred not to speak at length until he has more information, but said in passing that his situation is “nothing to worry about,” and Wilson said that the All-Star closer is “day to day.”
He’s dealt with lower back issues in the past, pitching through pain in the area for weeks in 2024, though he never went on the IL.
Naylor underwent X-rays that came back negative, per Wilson, and said in passing, “I’m doing all right.”
“A chance for him to make sure he was OK, and get him off of his feet for the rest of that one,” Wilson added.
Naylor wound up finishing his at-bat and flied out to center field after a lengthy conferral with Mariners assistant athletic trainer Kevin Orloski. But that came after Naylor was hobbling quite a bit and dropped to all fours.
Naylor was the second out in the frame, then was immediately substituted for Patrick Wisdom, with the Mariners trailing, 6-1.
In a 2-0 count vs. right-hander Miles Mikolas, Naylor took a huge hack on an 86.5 mph middle-middle changeup, the type of pitch that he was hoping to do damage with. But he was just out in front of it, and as such, it was more towards the handle than the barrel.
That sent the ball directly into his right shin -- hard enough that even the protective guard absorbing the contact couldn’t fully prevent the pain that ensued.
Known for being one of the roster’s tougher players, Naylor has played through quite a bit of pain since joining the Mariners last July -- notably with a shoulder issue throughout last postseason. More recently, he’s been seen wincing after a few big hacks throughout this road trip, though those moments have featured him shaking out his right hand and wrist area.
He became Seattle’s second key run producer to exit midgame this weekend in Washington, along with Randy Arozarena, who tweaked his left hamstring during Friday’s win. Arozarena is day to day and went through a few athletic drills before Sunday’s finale. Earlier this week, Colt Emerson missed three games with a back spasm but has been in top form since returning.
The bigger hits that Seattle has taken on this road trip have been to its bullpen, as Matt Brash (right lat inflammation) and Cooper Criswell (right shoulder inflammation) were placed on the 15-day IL earlier this week.
However, the club expects both J.P. Crawford (right hand contusion) and Cal Raleigh (right oblique strain) to return in the coming days, and likely Arozarena, too. Raleigh was in the lineup again Sunday at Triple-A Tacoma, one day after homering twice.