Bo Naylor, a catcher who was behind home plate for pitches allegedly thrown by Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Bryan Ortiz, testified Thursday in a New York court. The testimony is part of a federal gambling probe into allegations that Clase and Ortiz rigged their pitches to influence betting outcomes.
Naylor, who was traded from the Guardians to the Milwaukee Brewers at the recent trade deadline, stated he was unaware that bettors could wager on individual pitches. During his testimony, he was shown numerous clips of pitches thrown by Clase and Ortiz in 2025. Defense attorneys questioned Naylor about the pitches, while prosecutors allege Clase communicated with gamblers during games.
Naylor explained that catchers and pitchers develop strategies during pregame meetings based on scouting reports of opposing batters' weaknesses. He acknowledged that even skilled pitchers cannot guarantee the exact placement of every pitch. He described Clase as having strong command of his pitches, particularly his fastball.
Prosecutors allege that bettors won approximately $400,000 by wagering on pitches thrown by Clase between 2023 and 2025. Ortiz reportedly joined the scheme in June 2025. In one instance, the indictment claims, Clase used his phone during a game to coordinate with a bettor regarding a pitch.
Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, had an ERA of 1.21 in 2024. His ERA was 3.80 at the time he was investigated. Ortiz has a career ERA of 4.36, with his best season in 2024 yielding a 3.32 ERA.
Clase signed a five-year, $20 million contract before the 2022 season. Ortiz earned the league's veteran minimum salary of $782,600 last season as he was not yet eligible for arbitration.