Former Player Gets Brutally Honest About Bo Naylor’s Situation

Last week, on Saturday, the Cleveland Guardians acquired catcher Patrick Bailey from the San Francisco Giants. That trade signaled the end of Bo Naylor’s tenure in the majors, for now at least.

The team made use of one of his minor league options and thus freed up a roster space for Bailey. Naylor, however, wasn’t immediately assigned to Triple-A Columbus.

In an attempt to get him back on track, the Guardians sent Naylor to Arizona, where he can take advantage of the resources and coaches present in the spring training complex. It looks like the organization wants to overhaul some things in the catcher’s game, both offensively and defensively.

There’s no word on how much time he will spend in Arizona, but it is believed that he will go to Columbus when everybody is on the same page regarding the next steps in his development.

It might be some time before we see him in the majors, though.

“He’s going to have to go figure it out. Remember, we’re only a handful of years removed from everyone clamoring for Bo Naylor to be in Cleveland. I think you also have to have a long-term view here. There’s a lot invested in him. They’re taking the necessary steps, but this is going to be a bit longer of a process than people realize,” former Guardians pitcher and analyst Jensen Lewis said.

Will we see Bo Naylor in Cleveland again this season? #GuardsBall

"This is going to be a bit longer of a process than people realize."

– @JLEWFIFTY

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— BIGPLAY Cleveland Show (@BIGPLAYCLEshow) May 14, 2026

Naylor is not a liability behind the plate, but he’s also not a difference-maker. He needs to hit to justify being a starter for the Guardians, and he was slashing a putrid .143/.200/.238 with two home runs and seven RBI before his demotion. His 23 wRC+ was among the worst in the league.

He played 28 games and got just 12 hits. Even though he hit an important home run just hours before being optioned, his overall body of work had been extremely disappointing. The Guardians took advantage of an opportunity to trade for a two-time Gold Glover behind the plate, and it cost Naylor his place on the team.

It’s not too late for him to turn his career around, but it will require some time, patience, and a lot of work. For now, his focus should be on improving his swing, pitch selection, and defense.

The rest will eventually come if he makes enough strides there.