Ex-Guardians Stars Reunite as Mariners Face Blue Jays in ALCS

Moments after the Seattle Mariners advanced to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) with a thrilling 15-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers, first baseman Josh Naylor of Mississauga, Ontario, reflected on the possibility of facing his hometown Toronto Blue Jays in postseason play.

While Naylor said the Blue Jays would be “just another team we’ve gotta beat,” he admitted that seeing former teammates on Toronto’s roster added a personal dimension to the matchup.

“They’re a phenomenal group, managed by a great manager, they have awesome players,” Naylor said at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park. “I’m really excited to see Straw, Gimenez, Sandlin and Ernie. Those are my boys. I’m happy we’re all there. We were all Cleveland boys at one point and they all traded us and now we’re going.”

The former Cleveland Guardians players now with the Blue Jays include outfielder Myles Straw, relief pitcher Nick Sandlin, infielders Andres Gimenez and Ernie Clement, and pitcher Shane Bieber, who is scheduled to start Game 3 of the ALCS in Seattle.

“That put a big smile on my face, and I’m sure all the other guys, because we love Nayls,” Clement said from the Rogers Centre dugout. “He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had, and we’re always rooting for him, so it’s really cool to share the field with him again.”

All five ex-Guardians arrived in Toronto via different paths. Clement signed a minor-league deal with Toronto in March 2023 after a stint with the Oakland Athletics. Gimenez and Sandlin were traded to the Blue Jays in December 2023, Straw arrived in January 2024, and Bieber joined the team on July 31 ahead of the trade deadline.

Clement praised the shared culture between the two organizations, noting the influence of former Guardians executives Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins in Toronto. “There’s just great people top to bottom in the Cleveland and in the Toronto organizations, so it’s not hard to have a great culture here. It’s nice seeing familiar faces.”

Bieber echoed the sentiment, saying that having former teammates made transitioning to Toronto seamless. “I already had a handful of phone numbers that I reached out to and made a group text,” he said. “Even guys I didn’t know, the minute I walked into the clubhouse, everybody made the transition really easy and seamless.”

Manager John Schneider noted that the number of former Guardians in the clubhouse had become a running joke. “We were kind of joking it was a prerequisite to be in Cleveland at some point to be over here,” he said, emphasizing that familiarity strengthened team cohesion in the demanding environment of professional baseball.

Despite losing these key players, Cleveland still reached the playoffs but was eliminated in the American League Wild Card series by Detroit in three games. Bieber reflected on facing his former team in the ALCS: “I’m focused on where we’re at and this team. You understand the business for what it is, so the moment you get traded, you dive into whatever organization you just moved to. That’s what I’ve tried to do, and that’s what my family has tried to do.”

The Mariners currently lead the best-of-seven ALCS 2-0 after 3-1 and 10-3 wins in Toronto. Seattle will host the next two games, with potential Games 6 and 7, if necessary, scheduled back in Toronto.