2 publishers · first seen Thu, 05 Nov 2026 23:23 UTC · updated Sat, 07 Nov 2026 00:50 UTC
Catcher Bo Naylor testified in the New York sports betting trial of his former Cleveland Guardians teammates, pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, that he was unaware gamblers could bet on individual pitches until the criminal case began. He was called as a defense witness, despite heading to his wedding. Naylor's testimony highlighted the rapid growth of sports betting, which has expanded to 39 states since the U.S. Supreme Court allowed it in 2018. Betting on whether a pitch will be a ball or strike is a form of prop betting, often focused on individual players. Naylor, now with the Milwaukee Brewers, was shown clips of pitches thrown by Clase and Ortiz in 2025. He explained that catchers and pitchers strategize before each pitch based on the batter's weaknesses. Clase and Ortiz have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges, with prosecutors alleging they accepted payments to provide pitch information to gamblers, enabling them to win at least $460,000.
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