Ex-Guardians catcher Bo Naylor testifies in defense of Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz in MLB pitch-rigging trial

Naylor was behind the plate when many of the pitches, alleged to be rigged to benefit bettors, were thrown

Nov 6, 2026 at 12:26 pm ET • 1 min read

Former Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor on Thursday testified in federal court that he perceived nothing untoward about disputed pitches thrown by former All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase and his former Guardians teammate Luis Ortiz, ESPN reports. 

Naylor, who played five seasons for the Guardians, appeared as a witness for the defense in the ongoing federal trial in which prosecutors allege that Clase and Ortiz rigged multiple pitches for the benefit of co-conspiring bettors. In Clase's case, he's alleged to have done so in 17 games across a two-year period beginning in May 2023. Naylor, now a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, was catcher for some of Clase's disputed appearances during that span, including seven of the 18 pitches he's alleged to have rigged. 

ESPN's David Purdum writes:  

Naylor, a defense witness, was shown video replays of some of the pitches the government alleges were predetermined by Clase or Ortiz as part of the scheme. Naylor was behind the plate for many of them and said they looked like common sliders outside the strike zone. He said the scouting reports on the hitters Ortiz faced during the two pitches in question indicated that sliders low and away would be a "weapon."

In November 2025, Clase and Ortiz were indicted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. According to the Department of Justice, both pitchers "agreed in advance with their co-conspirators to throw specific types of pitches and speeds of pitches." The Department of Justice alleged that the pair made at least $450,000 by rigging outings and throwing specific pitches to benefit bettors who wagered on the outcomes of those pitches.

Both Clase and Ortiz pleaded not guilty to those charges in November of last year. Clase and Ortiz have been on administrative leave since late June 2025 while Major League Baseball investigates. MLB has the authority to discipline the pitchers regardless of how the criminal trial plays out. 

The pair could face up to 65 years in prison if convicted on the charges of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy.