Home runs slugged in same inning by MLB brothers from Mississauga

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Published April 11, 2024 at 4:45 pm

Josh and Bo Naylor of Mississauga his homers in same inning.
Josh Naylor, left, congratulates his brother Bo after the latter's game-winning hit on Wednesday. Earlier in the game, the Mississauga brothers each hit a home run in the same inning. (Photo: Talkin' Baseball X)

Power-hitting brothers Josh and Bo Naylor continue to show they have a penchant for dramatic Major League Baseball moments.

Not only did the pair of sluggers from Mississauga hit home runs in the same inning on Wednesday night to help their Cleveland Guardians to victory, they did so on National Siblings Day (celebrated in both the U.S. and Canada) of all days.

Before mentioning how rare a feat it is for brothers on the same MLB team to go deep in the same inning, it should be noted the Naylors pulled it off for the first time just last season, on July 14 in Texas.

And with most of their careers still ahead of them — Josh is 26, Bo 24 — it’s a safe bet they’ll do it again, and more than once, as long as they remain on the same club.

Last night in Cleveland, a come-from-behind 7-6 win over the Chicago White Sox in 10 innings, first baseman Josh Naylor cranked a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Bo Naylor, a catcher in his first full MLB season, ripped a two-run shot to centre field two batters later.

And the Canadian brothers, both products of St. Joan of Arc Secondary School in Mississauga, weren’t done doing damage to the White Sox just yet. Josh came through with a game-tying RBI double in the 10th followed moments later by a contest-winning RBI single from Bo.

Beyond their individual accomplishments on Wednesday, the Naylors — from all accounts consummate team players — find themselves at the heart of a team that at 9-3 is off to its best start since 2002.

“What a night for them, homer in the same inning and then game-tying and then game-winning hits,” Guardians first-year manager Stephen Vogt told The Associated Press/Canadian Press. “I just can’t imagine doing that with your brother. It is so cool.”

Prior to the Naylors slamming taters in the same inning last July, the last brothers on the same MLB club to do so were B.J. Upton and Justin Upton for the Atlanta Braves in 2013.

Josh and Bo Naylor are also the 13th pair of brothers to hit MLB home runs in the same game as teammates, joining the Uptons, Jeremy and Jason Giambi, Wilton and Vladimir Guerrero, Tommie and Henry Aaron, Paul and Lloyd Waner, Edgar and Adrian Gonzalez, Billy and Cal Ripken, Billy and Tony Conigliaro, Adam and Andy LaRoche, Jose and Bengie Molina, Matty and Jesus Alou, and Matty and Felipe Alou.

Bo Naylor was one of the top catching prospects in all of baseball before getting the call to the majors for good early last season to join Josh. He made his MLB debut in late 2022, but began the 2023 season in the minor leagues.

Since childhood, playing on the same team has been the norm for the Mississauga brothers, both first-round MLB draft picks in their respective years.

And that’s where their grand dreams were born — growing up in the city west of Toronto.

“There were times where we were kids and our dad had us in the back yard and he would throw us pitches in, we’d get a home run to win it type of thing,” Josh told AP/CP. “I think those situations come to life now that we’re in the big leagues. You have to be ready for those moments.

“Playing games as a kid prepared us for those moments. I was on the bench when (Bo) was up and I just kept saying to myself, I kept mumbling, ‘You’re born for this moment. Be ready. You’re prepared. Let’s do it.’”

Josh Naylor remains under team control until after the 2025 season when he can test the free agency waters if he desires. Bo, meanwhile, is signed through 2026.

Not to be forgotten, a third Naylor brother — the youngest of the three — is also on track for an MLB career.

Myles Naylor, a third baseman selected by the Oakland A’s with the 39th overall pick in last summer’s MLB First-year Player Draft, isn’t expected to crack the big league roster just yet, though.

On the field last year, Josh finished among the American League leaders in several offensive categories.

The 5-foot-11, 250-pound slugger finished an injury-shortened 2023 regular season with 17 home runs and 97 RBIs (tied for eighth in the AL) in 452 at-bats, while hitting .308.

If he had enough at-bats to qualify, Naylor would’ve placed third in AL hitting with his batting average.

Despite his own successful season, Josh may very well choose a moment that wasn’t his own as his most cherished memory of the 2023 season — brother Bo’s first big-league home run.

In his first campaign last season, Bo Naylor earned 198 at-bats with the Guardians, slugging 11 homers to go with 32 RBIs and a .237 batting average.

— with files from The Associated Press via The Canadian Press

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