MLB Mock Blockbuster Trade: Diamondbacks Deal Josh Naylor To San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants could land a much-needed offensive upgrade by trading for Diamondbacks slugger Josh Naylor in this potential MLB trade deadline deal.

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor (22) gestures after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The belief around Major League Baseball is that the Arizona Diamondbacks will be sellers at the trade deadline despite them insisting otherwise to this point. It makes sense for them not to tell their team they are throwing in the towel or letting other teams know that they are looking to sell and lose leverage. Nevertheless, that is believed to be the case. One of the players they are expected to make available is first baseman Josh Naylor. 

The left-handed slugger is in the midst of another strong season, even with his home run numbers dropping off a bit from his 31-home run campaign in 2024. This season, he is batting .294 with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs with a .817 OPS. His addition would provide a strong boost to just about any lineup of a team looking to make a late-season playoff push. 

JOSH NAYLOR #WALKOFF GRAND SLAM! pic.twitter.com/AmjDiTVAI2

— MLB (@MLB) June 10, 2025

One of the teams that has been linked to Naylor is the San Francisco Giants. They could use a run-producing lefty in the middle of their lineup. The Giants are currently 0.5 games behind the San Diego Padres for the final Wild Card spot and 2.5 games behind the New York Mets. With just a few tweaks, the Giants could become legitimate contenders in the National League if they can add some more offense to compete with the top teams. Their starting pitching already looks like they should be able to compete with most other contenders.

San Francisco Giants - Arizona Diamondbacks MLB Mock Trade

San Francisco Giants Receive

1B Josh Naylor

Arizona Diamondbacks Receive

Prospect - RHP Trevor McDonald

Prospect - SS Aeverson Arteaga

Why The Trade Makes Sense For The Giants

The Giants are in a brutal division and will be battling the Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers down the stretch. It won't be easy for them to earn a playoff spot, but they are more than capable. However, they will need some upgrades to catch the Padres or Mets, and to hold off the slew of teams right behind them. Naylor would be a big boost for their offense. A corner infielder who can both hit for average and power from the left side of the plate is a difference-making pickup for San Fran. 

Why The Trade Makes Sense For The Diamondbacks

Arizona is looking to deal expiring contracts for young pitching that they can build around. Naylor is an unrestricted free agent in 2026, so he fits the bill perfectly. McDonald is the best right-handed pitcher in the Giants' farm system. This would be a nice pickup for a rental. Artega is also a promising young shortstop in a system with a handful of other shortstops, so the Giants can afford to move him. This would be a nice haul for the D-Backs, who are selling a player with no team control moving forward.

Fantasy Baseball Impact

We don't see much changing for Naylor in San Francisco. The Diamondbacks have a much better lineup around him, which could hurt his RBI opportunities, but jumping back into a playoff race could also rejuvenate a player. His power could also be due for an uptick in the second half of the season, regardless of where he is playing. This move could be viewed as a slow negative for his offensive production, but not a crazy drop-off.