Josh Naylor Exits Nationals Game as Mariners Injuries Continue to Pile Up

The Mariners are running out of room for more injury drama, and we can add Josh Naylor to that list.

Jun 14, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (12) catches the ball at first base for an out against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Not like the Mariners needed another injury scare. Josh Naylor exited Sunday’s series finale against the Washington Nationals before the bottom of the sixth inning after fouling a ball directly off his right shin. He initially stayed in the game after being checked by trainer Kevin Orloski, but Dan Wilson eventually took the precautionary measure and pulled him knowing it was a getaway day.

When the Mariners took the field for the bottom half of the inning, Patrick Wisdom took over at first base. The Mariners have been living through the wrong kind of injury stretch. Cal Raleigh has been working his way back. J.P. Crawford has been out with a hand issue. Brendan Donovan has been sidelined. Randy Arozarena just dealt with a hamstring scare in the same series. We don’t really know when Matt Brash will return. And now Naylor joins the list.

The hope, obviously, is that this is nothing more than a nasty bruise. Foul balls off the shin can look brutal in real time and still end up being day-to-day pain management more than anything serious. But the Mariners are not operating with a ton of flexibility right now. 

And Josh Naylor is indeed exiting this game to begin the bottom of the 6th inning, with Patrick Wisdom taking over at first base.

Another look at the hard foul ball he hit directly into his right shin... pic.twitter.com/wXU300VUmj

— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) June 14, 2026

Patrick Wisdom Gives the Mariners a Backup Plan, Not a Replacement

Wisdom taking over at first base gives the Mariners an immediate backup plan, but it’s obviously not a one-for-one swap. Wisdom can provide power and versatility. And he can fill in appropriately. But he’s certainly not Josh Naylor. 

The Mariners have been good enough to keep pushing through most of this. They’ve somehow found a way to avoid completely falling apart despite missing names that were supposed to have a huge impact on the team this season. They continue to stay competitive in spite of the chaos.

Naylor has had a strange season so far. He is slashing .252/.315/.368 with eight home runs, 32 RBI and 13 stolen bases. It’s odd to see him on the wrong side of WAR at minus-0.2, but with his bat starting to heat up, that number should climb if he stays on the field. That, of course, depends on this injury having a quick turnaround.

The Mariners have Monday off, so they can only hope Naylor is back in the lineup on June 16 when they open a home series against the Baltimore Orioles. If Naylor is day-to-day or misses a couple of games, Patrick Wisdom would likely fill in at first base. He has shown solid power in Triple-A, but that has not translated at the major league level this season. Wisdom is slashing .125/.186/.225 with one home run, four RBI and five hits in 40 at-bats.

Needless to say, this Mariners team has enough reason to be a little worried.