Former Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor testified on Thursday in a federal court, asserting that he noticed nothing unusual about the disputed pitches thrown by former All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase and his former teammate Luis Ortiz. Naylor, who played five seasons with the Guardians and now plays for the Milwaukee Brewers, appeared as a defense witness in the ongoing trial. Prosecutors allege that Clase and Ortiz rigged multiple pitches to benefit co-conspiring bettors, with Clase implicated in 17 games over two years starting in May 2023.

During his testimony, Naylor reviewed video replays of the pitches in question, stating they appeared to be standard sliders outside the strike zone. He confirmed that he caught many of these pitches and highlighted that scouting reports for Ortiz indicated that sliders low and away would be an effective strategy against certain hitters.

In November 2025, Clase and Ortiz were indicted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. The Department of Justice claims that both pitchers conspired to throw specific types and speeds of pitches, allegedly profiting at least $450,000 through this scheme. Both Clase and Ortiz have pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, and could face up to 65 years in prison if convicted.

Since late June 2025, both pitchers have been on administrative leave as Major League Baseball conducts its investigation, which could lead to further disciplinary actions regardless of the trial's outcome.