CLEVELAND — As he caught the short underhand toss from Ty France and stepped on first base for the final out of the Mariners’ 3-2 victory that clinched a series win over the Guardians, Paul Sewald held the ball in his glove, put his arms in a cradle position and mimicked a baby-rocking motion.
Why?
Well, the hitter that made the final out — Josh Naylor — did that when he would round the bases on a home run last season. It became infamous in the American League Division Series when Naylor hit a homer off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, who took exception to it.
