Guardians catcher testifies on pitch bets

Former Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor testified Thursday in New York that he was unaware sports gamblers could wager on individual pitches until a criminal case was filed against two former teammates.

Naylor appeared as a defense witness for relievers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz. He is scheduled to marry soon, which prompted the court to allow him to testify out of the usual order. Under cross-examination by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Simmons, Naylor admitted he did not know such bets existed at the time of the 2025 baseball games in question.

The prosecutor asked if Naylor knew people bet tens of thousands of dollars on specific pitches. Naylor responded, “I didn't know that before. I didn't know that until the situation.” Defense lawyers sustained an objection that stopped Naylor from fully answering the follow-up question about the size of the wagers.

Legal sports betting has expanded to 39 states since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that such wagering is permitted. Betting on whether a pitch is a ball or a strike is a form of prop betting. This type of wager often focuses on individual player performance, similar to wagers on strikeouts, points, or passing yards in other sports.

Naylor was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in August, weeks before Milwaukee won the World Series. During direct examination, he reviewed dozens of video clips of pitches thrown by Clase and Ortiz in 2025. He explained that catchers and pitchers develop strategies in pregame meetings to exploit weaknesses in opposing batters.

Naylor acknowledged that catchers signal pitchers what to throw and where to aim. However, he noted that pitchers cannot guarantee every pitch will land exactly where intended. He stated that Clase, a three-time All-Star, had pretty good command of his pitches. Naylor also confirmed that pitchers have the final say on which pitch is thrown because they can wave off a catcher's call.

Clase, 28, and Ortiz, 27, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges filed a year ago. Prosecutors allege the players accepted several thousand dollars to share pitch information with gamblers. This information allowed the bettors to collect at least $460,000. Prosecutors said Clase began sharing information in 2023 and recruited Ortiz in 2025. Ortiz earned $782,600 starting for the Guardians during the 2025 season.

Both players are free on bail and on nondisciplinary leave from the club without pay while the prosecution proceeds. Naylor, who studied Spanish to communicate better with teammates, admitted he was not close friends with Clase or Ortiz. He acknowledged seeing Clase on his cellular phone frequently in the locker room. Prosecutors have alleged Clase sometimes broke Major League Baseball rules by communicating with gamblers during games.

Clase's defense attorney, Michael Ferrara, asked Naylor if he had heard rumors that Clase enjoyed cockfighting with people from the Dominican Republic, where Clase grew up. Naylor said he based his answer on rumors heard around the clubhouse. Clase's lawyers told the jury that the pitcher had friends who shared his enthusiasm for cockfights and dominoes, which are legal in the Dominican Republic, rather than sports gambling.