Diamondbacks acquire Canadian 1st baseman Josh Naylor from Guardians

The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired all-star first baseman Josh Naylor from the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday for right-handed pitcher Slade Cecconi.

Cleveland will also receive Arizona's 2025 competitive balance round B draft pick. Shortly after the trade was announced, the Guardians also signed veteran first baseman Carlos Santana to a one-year, $12 million US deal, according to multiple reports.

Naylor made his first all-star team last season, which he finished with 31 home runs and 108 runs batted in, both career-highs, in 152 games. He will fill the void created by the departure of Christian Walker, who reportedly agreed to a three-year, $60 million free-agent deal with the Houston Astros on Friday.

Naylor, 27, was originally a first-round draft pick by the Miami Marlins in 2015. In 598 games through six seasons, he has belted 84 homers to go with 343 RBI, a .444 slugging percentage and a .767 on-base-plus slugging percentage.

Cecconi, 25, posted a 6.66 ERA in 20 appearances, including 13 starts, with Arizona last season. He also posted a 3.06 ERA in 18 games with five starts for Class AAA Reno in 2024.

The six-foot-four, 220-pounder was the Diamondbacks' competitive balance round A selection (33rd overall) in 2020 out of the University of Miami. In three minor-league seasons, Cecconi has a 20-19 record with a 4.73 ERA.

Santana, 38, has played 10 of his 15 major league seasons with Cleveland. He owns a career .242 batting average with 324 home runs in 7,400 at-bats.

Santana played in 150 games for Minnesota last season, batting .238 with 23 homers and 71 RBI

Goldschmidt career-low .245 average in 2024

Veteran first baseman and former National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt is set to sign a one-year deal worth $12.5 million US with the New York Yankees, multiple media outlets reported on Saturday.

Goldschmidt, 37, entered free agency coming off a disappointing year that saw him hitting a career-low .245 with 22 homers, his lowest in a non-COVID season since 2014. His 65 RBI were his fewest -- again, excluding the 2020 shortened season -- since his rookie campaign in 2011.

However, his 2022 and 2023 seasons were more productive, including a National League MVP award win in 2022 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 1,928 career games with the Arizona Diamondbacks (2011-18) and Cardinals (2019-2024), Goldschmidt has a .289 batting average with 362 home runs and 1,187 RBI.

Also Saturday, the Yankees signed right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga to a one-year extension, with a club option for 2026. Loaisiga, 30, made just three appearances last season before surgery for a torn UCL in his elbow and could be back as early as April.

In seven seasons with the Yankees, Loaisiga is 19-11 with a 3.44 ERA with seven saves in 163 appearances (11 starts).