BWDIK: Julien, Lopez, Naylor, Pivetta, Smith, Tong

Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team grad Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) stole his 30th base of the season on Friday. Photo: Seattle Mariners

September 28, 2025

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Some Canadian baseball news and notes from the past week:

Naylor steals 30th base of the season

Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) registered his 30th stolen base of the season on Friday in the M’s 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He stole second in the bottom of the third inning.

With that, Naylor joined a number of exclusive groups:

–As the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame noted, Naylor became just the second Canadian to have 20 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a big league season. Colorado Rockies outfielder Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) was the first. In 1997, he had 49 home runs and 33 stolen bases.

-Naylor became just the fourth Canadian since 1900 to record 30 stolen bases in a season. The others are Walker (1997), Doc Miller (Chatham, Ont.), who had 32 stolen bases for Boston in 1911 and Terry Puhl (Melville, Sask.) who did it twice for the Houston Astros. He swiped 32 bases in 1978 and 30 in 1979.

–According to the Mariners’ PR team, Naylor became just the third first baseman in MLB history to register 20 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season. The other two are Jeff Bagwell (1997, 1999) and Paul Goldschmidt (2016).

Unfortunately, Naylor also left Friday’s game with groin tightness, according to MLB.com reporter Daniel Kramer. M’s manager Dan Wilson said taking Naylor out of the game was precautionary and the injury is not serious. Naylor did not play on Saturday.

An Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team grad, Naylor has 11 hits and a .458 batting average in his past seven games. His performance helped the Mariners clinch the American League West title and a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Tong collects more awards

After being named the New York Mets’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year last week, right-hander Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.) was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Year and Baseball America’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year this week. He was also selected a First Team Minor League All-Star by Baseball America.

Prior to his big league call-up in late August, Tong had been dominant at triple-A and double-A, combining to go 10-5 with a 1.43 ERA in 22 starts. His 179 strikeouts were the most by any pitcher in the affiliated minor league ranks this season. He also topped all minor league hurlers in ERA and opponents’ batting average (.148).

Tong’s five big league starts, however, have been a mixed bag. After a strong start last week, he permitted five earned runs on seven hits in two innings to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.

We’ll find out today if the Mets will make the postseason. They are currently deadlocked with the Cincinnati Reds for the final National League Wild Card spot. The Reds, however, own the tiebreaker. So, the Mets must win today and hope the Reds lose to make the postseason.

Pivetta likely Padres’ Game 1 playoff starter

Right-hander Nick Pivetta (Victoria, B.C.) was scheduled to make his final regular season start today, but having already clinched a Wild Card spot, the San Diego Padres will save him for the playoffs.

On Monday, Padres manager Mike Shildt told reporters that Pivetta will “most likely” start Game 1 of their Wild Card series against the Chicago Cubs.A Junior National Team grad, Pivetta topped Padres’ starting pitchers in wins (13), innings pitched (181 2/3), WHIP (0.985) and hits per nine innings (6.4) this season. For his efforts, he will likely garner some National Cy Young Award votes.

This will represent the 32-year-old Pivetta’s second postseason start. In 2021, the Canuck righty started Game 4 of the American League Championship Series for the Boston Red Sox against the Houston Astros. He allowed just one run on two hits in five innings.

Sabrowski, Smith help Guardians clinch playoff berth

It was fitting that Erik Sabrowski (Edmonton, Alta.) and Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) were the last two pitchers the Guardians’ used in their 3-2 walk-off win over the Texas Rangers last night that clinched them a postseason berth.

The Canadian relievers have been lights out for the Guardians over the past three weeks. Since September 3, the two have made a combined 24 appearances and have allowed just two earned runs on seven hits in 23 1/3 innings, while striking out 36 batters.

Sabrowski entered the game on Saturday in the eighth inning and allowed a single, struck out a batter and hit a batter before he was picked up by Smith who got the final five outs to record his eighth win of the season.

With a victory over the Rangers or a Detroit Tigers’ loss today, the Guardians, who have gone 23-9 since August 24, would clinch the American League Central title. If they lose and the Tigers’ win, the Guardians will play in a best two-of-three Wild Card series.

Junior National Team alum Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) has provided Gold Glove worthy defence for the Miami Marlins this season.

Lopez a Gold Glove candidate

In their column for MLB.com on September 16, reporters Jared Greenspan and Jason Foster touted Miami Marlins infielder Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) as a strong candidate for a Gold Glove Award.

They list him as a potential winner for the utility position.

“Lopez has been mostly a shortstop this season, but he’s also spent significant time at second base. And he’s gotten it done in both spots,” they wrote. “His six DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) as a second baseman rank sixth in the NL, despite his part-time role, while his six at shortstop are the fourth-best total in the league. Combined, Lopez’s 12 DRS are tied for the seventh-highest mark among all MLB infielders.”

Lopez’s 2.1 dWAR (Defensive WAR) also strengthens his case. That’s the fourth best dWAR in the National League this season.

The 26-year-old ex-Jay, who spent part of his youth in Montreal, has also been a solid contributor at the plate. In 142 games, he is batting .248 with 15 home runs and 77 RBIs and has 15 stolen bases heading into the Marlins’ final game of the season.

Julien doing better with Twins

It has taken him until the final month of the season, but Edouard Julien (Quebec City, Que.) seems to be returning to the form that made him an American League Rookie of the Year candidate in 2023. The left-handed hitting infielder is batting .300 with a .391 on-base percentage in his last 15 games with the Minnesota Twins. And in his last seven contests, he is 7-for-17, good for .412 batting average.

The 26-year-old ABC and Junior National Team grad cracked the Twins’ Opening Day roster but batted just .198 with two home runs in 29 games before being sent down. He was recalled on August 1.

Field renamed in Selkirk’s honour in Huntsville, Ontario

It took Peter Haynes almost 10 years but the determined Muskoka Hornets Baseball Association president has succeeded in getting a field in Huntsville, Ont., renamed after New York Yankees legend George Selkirk who was born there. The local town council approved the renaming in a vote on Monday.

Danny Gallagher has more details in his excellent article here.

Selkirk, who spent the early part of his life in Huntsville, went on to replace Babe Ruth in right field for the New York Yankees. Suiting up alongside immortals like Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Bill Dickey and Lefty Gomez, Selkirk hit over .300 five times in nine seasons and earned five World Series rings.

Haynes will now work on having a commemorative plaque erected at the diamond.

Toronto Mets and Junior National Team alum Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) has been named a Texas League All-Star. Photo: Amarillo Sod Poodles

Bratt named Texas League All-Star

Toronto Mets and Junior National Team grad Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) has been named a Texas League (double-A) All-Star.

The Canuck lefty had a strong start to 2025 with the Texas Rangers’ double-A Frisco RoughRiders before he was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 31 as part of the package for veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly. Bratt was then assigned to the D-Backs’ double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles.

In 24 appearances (23 starts) in the Texas League between the two organizations, the 22-year-old Bratt finished with a 7-4 record and a 3.38 ERA in 122 1/3 innings. He topped the Texas League with 148 strikeouts and finished third (among qualified pitchers) in WHIP (1.17) and fourth in ERA.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Rangers, Bratt just completed his fifth pro season.

Rance Mulliniks now a motivational speaker

I’ve been blessed to have had some long conversations with former Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Rance Mulliniks about baseball and life. He is kind, wise and brilliant, and I’ve never spoken to anyone who knows more about hitting. He is now doing some motivational speaking and recently launched his own website. Check it out and book him to speak here.

Former Blue Jays News

Some ex-Blue Jays news from the past week:

-Right-hander Nate Pearson was released by the Chicago Cubs last Sunday.

-Infielder Orelvis Martinez was signed to a minor league contract by the Washington Nationals on Friday.

-Right-hander Alek Manoah was claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves on Friday.

32 years ago, Shawn Green made MLB debut

It was on this date 32 years ago with the Blue Jays soon to win their second consecutive World Series that Shawn Green made his MLB debut with them.

Batting ninth and DHing, he went 0-for-4 in the Blue Jays’ 6-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at County Stadium.

Green, who was just 20, had been called up from double-A Knoxville where he had batted .283 with four home runs in 99 games.

Fun Fact of the Week:

Courtesy of Codify on X