ST. LOUIS -- The Mariners were without one of their hottest hitters in Sunday’s lineup.
Josh Naylor was held out as a precaution with what manager Dan Wilson described as minor quad tightness He was available off the bench, but he did not enter in the Mariners' 3-2 win over the Cardinals.
“He’s fine, just a little quad tightness from yesterday,” Wilson said. “Good day to kind of give him a blow. And we wanted to get [Connor Joe] some at-bats, too. So it’s a good day to get him in there.”
Joe went 1-for-4 with a double that led to a tying run in the seventh.
The decision comes amid one of Naylor’s most productive stretches of the season. Over his last seven games, the first baseman is hitting .480 (12-for-25) with two doubles, four RBIs, four stolen bases and four walks, good for a 1.213 OPS.
His impact has extended well beyond the box score.
Naylor delivered game-winning hits earlier this week against the Athletics and again Friday against the Cardinals, continuing to serve as a catalyst for an offense that has begun to find its rhythm. He also went 2-for-5 with two stolen bases in Saturday’s 11-9 win.
Since joining Seattle on July 25, 2025, Naylor is a perfect 23-for-23 on stolen base attempts, bringing an aggressive edge on the basepaths that has helped shape the team’s overall identity.