A verbal confrontation erupted between former teammates Josh Naylor of the Seattle Mariners and Austin Hedges of the Cleveland Guardians during Sunday's game. The exchange occurred after Naylor appeared to lean into a pitch and was hit on the elbow.
Hedges, the Guardians' catcher, was heard by lip readers telling Naylor, "No one likes you." Naylor, Seattle's first baseman, responded by calling Hedges a "f–king loser" and asserting that he was struck by a breaking ball and it was not his fault.
The two players were teammates for four years, most recently in 2024, when both played for the Guardians and Padres. Naylor was traded to the Diamondbacks in 2024. During their time as teammates, Naylor had previously spoken positively about Hedges, noting his infectious energy and desire to win, though he also commented that one "kind of got to be able to talk crap back to him" to keep Hedges calm.
The incident was part of a larger game that saw the Mariners score more than three runs for the first time since June 12. The Guardians ultimately secured a 5-4 victory after a five-run, four-hit inning in the eighth, which proved too much for the Mariners to overcome in the ninth.
Naylor finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI double. Hedges went 1-for-2 before being substituted in the sixth inning. With the win, the Guardians maintained their tie for first place in the AL Central with a 44-40 record.