DETROIT -- Baby Watch for Josh Naylor has had its happy moment, as the Mariners first baseman confirmed that he and his wife welcomed the birth of their first child after returning to the team on Tuesday for Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Tigers.
However, he politely preferred not to speak about it further, saying that he’d like to keep his family life private.
Though he went 0-for-5 at the plate, Naylor made his presence felt by turning an unassisted double play to quash Detroit's attempted rally and seal Seattle's 8-4 victory. Overall, he is 0-for-13 with one walk and one strikeout this postseason for the Mariners.
Naylor originally did not fly with the Mariners to Detroit and was away from the club during their workout at Comerica Park on Monday, as he and his wife, Chantel Collado, had been awaiting the birth of their first child. The plan had been for Naylor to remain with the Mariners until she went into labor, at which point he would leave the club and trek to Arizona, where his wife and their doctors awaited.
“We’re excited to have him back,” said Mariners manager Dan Wilson. “We're excited he's here with us and excited to have him back in the lineup.”
The Mariners had been bracing for the possibility of placing Naylor on the paternity list, which allows for a player to miss up to three days while being replaced on the roster during the absence. Seattle brought a handful -- but not all -- of members from its 11-man taxi squad to Detroit to account for that possibility, as well as if separate injuries arise.
As for the Mariners' Game 3 win, Naylor said: “Awesome. We played a great game. The boys did really well. Pitched well, hit well. We have a lot more to do, though.”
Over 54 games in the regular season after being acquired before the Trade Deadline, Naylor slashed .299/.341/.490 (.831 OPS) with nine homers and 33 RBIs, and he had a few huge moments -- none bigger than his bases-clearing double that clinched Seattle’s postseason berth on Sept. 23 vs. Colorado.