Josh Naylor hit his first two home runs of the season on April 13, helping the Seattle Mariners secure a 6-2 win over the Houston Astros and complete a four-game sweep at T-Mobile Park.
The performance ended Naylor’s early-season slump and highlighted a notable change in his batting approach. The Mariners’ offense showed significant improvement during this homestand, with nearly half of their season’s runs scored in the past four days.
Naylor used a big leg kick in his swing, which was not present in previous games. When asked about it after the game, Naylor said: “I don’t like it.” He added: “I think you try things sometimes and hope it works, and if it doesn’t, try something else. I think this game is a big trial-and-error game. You work your hardest to be the best you can be.”
George Kirby pitched into the eighth inning for his second straight start, giving up only one walk before leaving to an ovation from fans. Kirby said: “I got a little help from J.P. [Crawford], yelling, ‘Keep him in, keep him in!’ But yeah, I’m glad Dan believed in me right there.”
Before this game, Naylor had no extra-base hits over his first 66 plate appearances of the season—a rare drought for someone who slugged .462 last year and regularly bats cleanup. Reflecting on his slow start, Naylor said: “It’s a process. It’s a long season… I just try to put in the work every day, regardless of the results.”
The Mariners signed Naylor to a five-year contract after he performed well following last year’s trade deadline acquisition. His home runs on Monday accounted for five of Seattle’s six runs against Houston.
Looking ahead, both Naylor and manager Dan Wilson may consider sticking with these adjustments as Seattle continues its season.
