The Guardians made a quiet but notable move on Saturday, sending longtime catcher Bo Naylor to Milwaukee in a deal that also included right-handed reliever Codi Heuer. In return, Cleveland picked up right-hander Craig Yoho and outfielder Blake Perkins.
“Guards officially announce trade. They send C Bo Naylor and RHP Codi Heuer to the Brewers for RHP Craig Yoho and OF Blake Perkins,” AP’s Tom Withers said.
Guards officially announce trade. They send C Bo Naylor, RHP Codi Heuer to Brewers for RHP Craig Yoho and OF Blake Perkins.
- Tom Withers (@twithersCLE) August 1, 2026
For Cleveland, the move marks the end of the road for a player the organization drafted in 2018 and leaned on as its starting catcher from 2023 through the first few weeks of the 2026 season. Naylor’s role had already faded after the Guardians acquired Patrick Bailey, and the younger Naylor was pushed down the depth chart and out of the big-league picture.
His path back never really opened up. After time at the spring training complex in Arizona, Naylor was assigned to Triple-A.
There, he hit .224/.346/.436 with seven home runs in 44 games and posted a 106 wRC+. That was a clear step up from his major-league production this year, where he managed a .143/.200/.238 line and a 22 wRC+ in 28 games and 90 plate appearances.
Even that improvement wasn’t enough to change Cleveland’s direction. Naylor had already logged a 74 wRC+ in 2024 and an 85 mark last year, and the Guardians moved forward with Bailey and Austin Hedges as their catching tandem.
Perkins comes over as a veteran depth piece. The 29-year-old outfielder owns a career 80 wRC+ across 874 plate appearances and has struggled this season, batting .157/.250/.258 with one home run and three stolen bases in 55 games and 101 plate appearances. His 2026 wRC+ sits at 45.
Yoho is the more intriguing return. The 26-year-old right-hander is inexpensive and under control, and he’s turned in a 3.15 ERA in 20 innings this season after allowing just a 0.78 ERA in 23 Triple-A innings.
In the end, Cleveland turned Naylor and Heuer into a pair of useful pieces.
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