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Mariners' Josh Naylor baits Jose Altuve in genius pickoff trick
TL;DR
Josh Naylor executed a clever pickoff trick against Jose Altuve, catching him off guard after a single. The play effectively neutralized the Astros' leadoff hit and helped the Mariners secure the inning.
Mariners' Josh Naylor baits Jose Altuve in genius pickoff trick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Josh Naylor made a fool out of Jose Altuve with a trick play.
On Sunday, the Houston Astros slugger led off with a single to center field off Seattle Mariners ace Logan Gilbert. The Mariners' ace struck out Yordan Alvarez before getting the second out with the help of a trick off move.
Altuve was trying to extend his lead at first base when Naylor baited him to return for a potential pickoff. Altuve fell for it, but Gilbert never threw the ball. Noting that, Altuve dropped off his guard, assuming Gilbert was fully focused on throwing to Isaac Paredes. However, Gilbert threw the ball to Naylor, who had Altuve fooled as he was stranded at first base.
The trick play neutralized Astros' leadoff hit as Gilbert also got Paredes to fly out in right field to end the first.
More: Breaking down the Mariners' potential $92 million Josh Naylor mistake
Logan Gilbert leads Mariners to big win vs skidding Astros
The Astros dropped their seventh straight game on Sunday as the Mariners registered a big 6-1 win, winning the series with a game left. Logan Gilbert got the better of Astros sluggers as he pitched seven innings for four hits and only one earned run while striking out seven against one base on balls.
Apart from Jose Altuve, who went 3-4 at the plate, the Astros slugger struggled to get anything going at the plate. The only run they scored came in the fifth inning when Yainer Diaz hit a solo home run off Gilbert. Six Astros hitters couldn't connect with anything as they went hitless.
The Mariners previously managed 9-6 and 8-7 victories against the Astros, who are off to a sluggish start in the 2026 season.
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Q&A
What was the trick play executed by Josh Naylor against Jose Altuve?
Josh Naylor baited Jose Altuve into a pickoff attempt by pretending to focus on another player, ultimately catching Altuve off guard at first base.
How did the pickoff trick affect the game between the Mariners and Astros?
The trick play neutralized the Astros' leadoff hit and contributed to the Mariners' ability to end the inning without allowing further advancement.
Who was pitching when Josh Naylor executed the pickoff trick on Altuve?
Logan Gilbert was the pitcher for the Seattle Mariners during the play against Jose Altuve.
