Brewers add catcher Bo Naylor in 4-player trade with Guardians
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ANAHEIM -- While continuing to pursue trades for difference-makers, the Brewers swung a deal with the Guardians on Saturday in the interest of organizational depth.
The Brewers picked up catcher Bo Naylor and right-handed reliever Codi Heuer in exchange for outfielder Blake Perkins and reliever Craig Yoho, assigning both Naylor and Heuer to Triple-A Nashville.
Perkins, a switch-hitting former Gold Glove Award finalist who has struggled mightily to produce offensively in a limited role over the past two seasons, was expendable because outfielder Brandon Lockridge is nearing a return from the 60-day injured list, perhaps as early as for Saturday’s game against the Angels. And Yoho hasn’t missed bats with his signature changeup the way the Brewers envisioned when he rose through the Minor League system to be one of MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Milwaukee prospects.
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The Brewers will make corresponding moves later on Saturday to replace both players on the active roster.
Naylor was Cleveland’s first-round Draft pick in 2018 and has appeared in the Majors in each of the last five seasons, making more than 100 starts behind the plate in each of 2024 and ‘25. But along the way he’s been a .199/.279/.372 hitter in the Major Leagues, and he was demoted to the Minor Leagues in May after the Guardians traded for Giants catcher Patrick Bailey.
Heuer has pitched for five Major League teams since 2020, including eight appearances for the Guardians this season. He’s spent most of this season at Triple-A Columbus, where he had a 3.46 ERA and six saves in 26 appearances.