CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Josh Naylor winced in pain Thursday night when he ran in to field a pop up in foul territory.
After he made the catch, Naylor was looked at for a minute, but to no one’s surprise, he remained in the game.
Playing with pain is just what Naylor does.
“I don’t think anyone in the game plays at 100 percent every day,” Naylor said. “The only day you’re 100 percent is the first day of spring and it’s downhill from there. I’m doing OK. I just [want] to play every day, get up every day and compete and win every single day I’m out there with the guys.
I don’t really care for the pain. I’ve learned to love pain and enjoy it and that’s why I hit myself in the head, headbutt Tito, I love pain. I don’t know, it’s whatever.”
Prior to tweaking an abdominal muscle, Naylor led off the bottom of the second with a solo homer, his 12th of the season, Thursday night. It was all the run support starter Triston McKenzie, who struck out 12 and extended his scoreless innings streak this month to 21.0, would need.
“[Regardless] who’s out there, I want to be the best hitter on the planet for them and provide for them so it’s easy for them when they are on the mound,” Naylor said.
In his next at-bat after getting looked at Naylor drove a ball to the middle of the warning track in his next plate appearance, indicating there’s no need to worry about him.
“He’s fought through probably more than most, but everybody this time of year is fighting through stuff,” manager Terry Francona said. “But that was a pretty swing for sure.”
Naylor was back in the lineup Friday night as the DH and hitting fifth. He is batting .273 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI this season.
“Honestly, I give all the credit to my teammates,” Naylor said. “They help me through it every day. They come into the locker room every day and just create such a fun environment and such a kind of relaxed place. Always give me support day in and day out and they’re the reason I’m kind of doing what I’m doing this year and I’m not trying to brag by saying that, but they’re the reason I’m having so much success and that’s been the reason I’m back and playing hard every day. I do it for them to be honest with you. I don’t really do it for myself. I want to see them happy. I want to provide for them.”
Welcome to the big show – Managing the youngest team in baseball has given Francona the honor of welcoming several rookies to the majors this season.
“Never [gets old], especially when they are as good of kids as they seem to be,” Francona said. “It makes it really fun. We have so many difficult conversations with guys. You got to kind of take a second and enjoy the good ones.”
Francona recalled his welcome to the big leagues.
“I got called up and it was the fourth inning in Houston,” Francona said. “Dick Williams just said, ‘Grab a bat, you’re leading off.’ He wasn’t exactly Mr. Warm and Fuzzy anyway.”
That might be why the Guardians manager admitted he does get a bit warm and fuzzy when he meets with rookies for the first time.
“Yeah, it’s kind of hard not to,” Francina said. “For the most part, to this point in their life, it might be the best day of their life. A lot of them aren’t married or have kids and stuff like that. So, this is probably the most exciting day of their life.”
Jones-ing on The Fan – Rookie Nolan Jones joined Afternoon Drive on 92.3 The Fan Friday afternoon. Listed to the interview in the player above.
Civale update – Starter Aaron Civale, placed on the injured list Thursday due to a sprained right wrist, underwent another round of tests Friday.
“He’s gonna get a CT scan just so we can have as much information for the doctors,” Francona said Friday.
Civale will meet with world renown orthopedic surgeon Dr. Thomas Graham on Monday before they determine the plan for his rehab and return to the rotation.
