Josh Naylor may wear Seattle colors now, but apparently some rivalries transcend geography, payroll, and basic workplace professionalism. After flattening the much smaller Kevin McGonigle on a “hustle play” Friday, getting mysteriously plunked Saturday while Framber Valdez pointed and laughed like a cartoon henchman, and trying a takeout slide Sunday that backfired spectacularly, Naylor somehow managed to become Public Enemy No. 1 in Detroit all over again. Naturally, Kevin McGonigle got the last word—with a walkoff hit, because baseball occasionally enjoys irony.
*** Now chatting in #HeelTurnSeattle ***
TigersFans: can someone explain to me
why Josh Naylor still hates us
TigersFans: HE DOESN’T EVEN PLAY FOR CLEVELAND ANYMORE
*** NaylorLater has entered the chat ***
NaylorLater: hate is a strong word
“competitive nuisance” feels more accurate
ProfessorMcGonigle: i’m literally just trying to get to first base man
MLB_NewsBot: FRIDAY INCIDENT: Josh Naylor fields grounder himself rather than flipping to Bryan Woo
Collision occurs with Kevin McGonigle at first base
Tigers dugout described as “instantly annoyed”
ProfessorMcGonigle: dude hit me like a shopping cart with emotions
NaylorLater: hustle play
ProfessorMcGonigle: YOU’RE LIKE THREE OF ME
*** WooThereItIs has entered the chat ***
WooThereItIs: i was literally standing there
glove open
spiritually available
NaylorLater: had to do it myself
TigersFans: oh cool
so now we’re just trucking rookies
*** SATURDAY ***
*** pitch hits Naylor ***
NaylorLater: …oh
we doing this today?
KeidergartenCop: accident
baseball happen
NaylorLater: mhm
FramberFlamethrow: HAHAHAHAHA
/points and laughs aggressively
FramberFlamethrow: accidental baseball
very sad
NaylorLater: why are YOU involved
FramberFlamethrow: i support chaos
*** HEY GUYS THIS IS JI
*** JIM THOME has entered the chat ***
WORDUPTHOME: HEY GUYS THIS IS JI
JIM THOME
WORDUPTHOME: BASEBALL IS AN EMOTIONAL GAME
SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET HIT
SOMETIMES PEOPLE LAUGH
SOMETIMES FRAMBER SHOULD PROBABLY NOT LAUGH
FramberFlamethrow: i regret nothing
*** SUNDAY ***
*** NaylorLater slides hard into second ***
ZachOfAllTrades: OH COME ON
/tag somehow remains on
Ump_Lou: OUT
NaylorLater: WHAT
ZachOfAllTrades: buddy
you overslid into next week
ProfessorMcGonigle: couldn’t happen to a nicer guy
NaylorLater: alright alright
respect
annoying respect
*** bottom 9th ***
ProfessorMcGonigle: hey josh
remember friday?
*** WALKOFF HIT ***
TigersFans: KEVINNNNNNNN
ProfessorMcGonigle: little guy wins
NaylorLater: i suddenly hate narratives
WORDUPTHOME: THE GAME ALWAYS FINDS BALANCE
SOMETIMES
THE BIG GUY CAUSES TROUBLE
AND SOMETIMES
THE SMALLER GUY ENDS THE STORY
*** MLB_NewsBot has entered the chat ***
MLB_NewsBot: Tigers defeat Mariners, win series
Josh Naylor involved in approximately all available drama
Kevin McGonigle records walkoff hit after earlier collision
Detroit clubhouse mood upgraded from “petty” to “victorious”
NaylorLater: fine
enjoy the win
but we are absolutely doing this again next series
ProfessorMcGonigle: respectfully
please toss it to first next time
*** FramberFlamethrow has left to laugh at replay one more time ***
*** NaylorLater has left to embrace villain status ***
*** ProfessorMcGonigle has left to be suspiciously clutch ***
*** WORDUPTHOME has left to appreciate baseball justice ***