BWDIK: Delgado, Hargan, Mattingly, Naylor, O'Neill, Wick, Wood
Toronto Blue Jays legend Carlos Delgado is one of eight players on the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Era ballot.
November 9, 2025
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
Some Canadian baseball news and notes from the past week:
Naylor highly sought-after free agent
On Thursday, MLB Trade Rumors published their list of the Top 50 free agents and they ranked first baseman Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) as No. 12. They project Naylor will receive a five-year, $90-million contract this off-season.
Mariners’ president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has said re-signing Naylor is their top priority and three of the four MLB Trade Rumours experts predict that the Canadian slugger will re-sign with the M’s.
Since the 28-year-old Naylor was traded to the Mariners midseason, he wasn’t eligible to receive a qualifying offer from the club. After being acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks, the 5-foot-10, 235-pound slugger not only pounded the ball with the M’s – hitting .299 with nine home runs, 10 doubles and an .831 OPS in 54 regular season games – but he also tore up the base paths. He had 18 stolen bases with the M’s to finish with a surprising 30 on the season.
His strong performance carried over into the postseason in which he batted .340 and had a team-leading 16 hits (three home runs) in 12 games.
In all, Naylor has batted .269 with 104 home runs in 745 games in seven big league seasons with the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, D-Backs and Mariners.
This will be his first foray into free agency. He made $10.9 million in 2025.
Mattingly departs Blue Jays, may join Phillies
Don Mattingly announced on Thursday that he will not return to the Toronto Blue Jays as their bench coach in 2026, but the 64-year-old Yankees legend has no plans to retire.
According to longtime Philadelphia sports writer Jim Salisbury, the Phillies have discussed hiring Mattingly as their bench coach. This would reunite Mattingly with Phillies manager Rob Thomson (Corunna, Ont.). The two worked together in the Yankees’ organization from 1997 to 2003 and then on the big league coaching staff from 2004 to 2007.
Mattingly spent three years as the Blue Jays’ bench coach. This year marked his first World Series as a player or coach.
National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Era ballot unveiled
Speaking of Mattingly, he’s one of eight former players on the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Era ballot that was unveiled on Monday.
Mattingly is on the ballot with three former Blue Jays – Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent and Roger Clemens – as well as Barry Bonds, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.
Mattingly, Kent and Clemens failed to gain election after 10 years on the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s writers’ ballot.
Delgado, who belted 473 big league home runs and is the Blue Jays’ all-time leader in numerous offensive categories, had the misfortune of dropping off the writers’ ballot after his first year of eligibility in 2015. He was a victim of a stacked ballot and the rule that only allows writers to vote for 10 candidates.
I’ve long been an advocate for Delgado’s induction. I made my case for him in this article four years ago.
Blue Jays to play Canada in spring training
Just four days after their Game 7 loss in the World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays unveiled their 2026 Spring Training schedule.
They will play 15 home games in Dunedin, Fla. One of those will be against Team Canada, on March 3, two days before the start of the World Baseball Classic. Canada will compete in Pool A in the 2026 WBC along with Cuba, Puerto Rico, Panama and Colombia in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Canada went 2-2 at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
O’Neill opts into final two years of contract with Orioles
On Monday, Canadian national team veteran Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.) exercised the final two years of his contract with the Baltimore Orioles. He signed a three-year, $49.5-million contract in December 2024 but had the option to opt out after the 2025 season.
His decision was not surprising after his injury-plagued first season with the O’s that saw him bat .199 and club nine home runs in 54 games.
In total, the 30-year-old Langley Blaze alum has hit .242 with 118 home runs in 645 games in parts of eight major league seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox and Orioles.
Original Blue Jay Hargan dies
Steve Hargan, who made six pitching appearances, including five starts, with the Blue Jays in their inaugural season, passed away on October 30 in Palm Springs, Calif., at the age of 83.
In his final start for the Blue Jays on May 7, 1977, Hargan tossed a complete game against the Minnesota Twins. Two days later, the then 34-year-old righty was dealt to the Texas Rangers with infielder Jim Mason for Roy Howell.
In all, Hargan posted an 87-107 record and a 3.92 ERA in 354 games (215 starts) in parts of 12 major league seasons with Cleveland, the Rangers, the Blue Jays and the Atlanta Braves.
In 30 games (29 starts) with Cleveland in 1967, Hargan went 14-13 with a 2.62 ERA and threw an American League-leading six shutouts.
Happy Birthday to Rowan Wick!
Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, B.C.) turns 33 today. Wick enjoyed a dominant season out of the bullpen for the Yokohama Bay Stars of the Japan Central League in 2025, going 4-1 with a 0.84 ERA in 40 appearances. He struck out 49 batters in 42 2/3 innings. It was his second year with the Bay Stars after pitching in parts of five big league seasons with the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs.
The St. Louis Cardinals originally selected Wick as a catcher in the ninth round of the 2012 MLB draft. While the Junior National Team alum was learning how to catch at the professional level, he batted a combined .292 with 20 home runs in 74 games between low-A and class-A in 2014 before he was converted into a pitcher in 2015.
On February 16, 2018, Wick was claimed off waivers from the Cardinals by the Padres. Nine months later, he was traded to the Cubs for utility player Jason Vosler.
Leiper headed to Mets
Longtime national team coach Tim Leiper will leave the Padres to become the third base coach of the New York Mets, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Leiper had been the Padres third base coach for the past two seasons. Prior to that, he had served as the first base coach with the Blue Jays for five seasons from 2014 to 2018.
Though he was born in Whittier, Calif., Leiper is an “adopted” Canadian. He has served as a coach for the national team at various tournaments for close to two decades.
As a player, he was an infielder and an outfielder who suited up for 12 professional seasons, including parts of two with the double-A London Tigers in 1989 and 1990.
He began his coaching career in 1996 and managed in the Montreal Expos’ organization. In 2002 and 2004, he served as manager of the triple-A Ottawa Lynx.
George Wood (Pownall, P.E.I.) was born on this date in 1858. Photo: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
George Wood was born on this date
Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer George Wood was born on this day in 1858 in Pownall, P.E.I.
Wood played in 13 big league seasons from 1880 to 1892 with teams in Worcester, Detroit, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Cincinnati. As a player, Wood topped the National League with seven home runs in 1882.
The talented outfielder also hit for the cycle on June 12, 1885 to become the first Canadian to accomplish this feat at the big league level.
In all, in his 13-year professional playing career, Wood hit .273, collected 1,467 hits and amassed 132 triples, which is record for Canadians in the majors.
Rest in peace, Barry Wells
I would like to send my condolences to the friends and family of London baseball historian Barry Wells, who died on Tuesday at the age of 71. Wells was a passionate advocate for Labatt Park in London, Ont., and was a major force on the London Majors Alumni Association. I live in London, Ont., and I – and fellow baseball fans – owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his tireless efforts in our city.
Support the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2026 membership drive is on. For as little as $60 a year, you can become a member and receive special perks on induction weekend and throughout the year.
For more details, follow this link.