It didn't take long for the Diamondbacks to find a replacement for Christian Walker.
Arizona acquired hard-hitting first baseman Josh Naylor in a trade with the Guardians on Saturday. The Post's Jon Heyman reports..
In exchange for Naylor, the Guardians will receive pitcher Slade Cecconi and a competitive B-round pick.
Naylor, 27, hit career highs with 31 home runs and 108 RBIs, earning him his first All-Star selection in 2024.
This comes after Naylor had a breakout year in 2023, hitting a career-best .308 and earning votes in the AL MVP race.
Walker, who spent eight seasons with Arizona, signed a three-year, $60 million contract with the Astros on Friday.
This leaves a big hole at first base for the D-backs, and Naylor is expected to fill it.
Naylor has proven to be a reliable left-handed hitter, but his defensive ability isn't on par with Walker, who won his third straight Gold Glove last season.
Meanwhile, Cecconi, 25, has yet to find much success in the major leagues, but has posted a 2-8 record with a 6.06 ERA in 104 innings pitched over the past two seasons.
Cecconi, a first-round draft pick out of Arizona in 2020, showed promise in Triple-A this season, posting a 3.06 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 47 innings.
Shortly after releasing Naylor, the Guardians and 39-year-old first baseman Carlos Santana agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract. Mr. Hayman reported.
Santana, who started his career in Cleveland, will now return for his third stint with the ballclub.
Santana played his 15th MLB season with the Twins this year, hitting .238 and hitting 23 home runs.
He also won the first Gold Glove Award of his career.
Pete Alonso will be the last high-profile first baseman left on the free agent market as former MVP first baseman Paul Goldschmidt joins the Yankees on Saturday on a one-year deal worth $12.5 million.
