It was a busy Saturday morning for the Cleveland Guardians’ front office, as they went to work and secured two potentially important pieces in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Reliever Craig Yoho and outfielder Blake Perkins are the newest members of the organization.
To get them to Cleveland, the Guardians had to trade longtime catcher Bo Naylor, a player they saw mature, succeed, and fail over the course of the eight years since he was drafted. Additionally, reliever Codi Heuer is joining him on their new adventure in Milwaukee.
The Guardians sent farewell messages to both of their former players on Saturday, and although things didn’t always work out for them, they represented the uniform with pride and dignity.
“Thank you for everything, Bo and Codi. Best of luck in Milwaukee!” the Guardians posted.
Thank you for everything, Bo and Codi.
Best of luck in Milwaukee!#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/li8F8MeyTk
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) August 1, 2026
Naylor wraps up his Guardians career with a .199/.279/.372 slash line and an 82 wRC+ in five seasons, from his MLB debut in 2022 until being demoted to the minors this May. His full-time duty started with a promising 123 wRC+ and 11 homers as a rookie in 2023, but he couldn’t maintain that level over the coming years.
He had a .143 batting average and a 22 wRC+ at the time of his demotion this season. With newcomer Patrick Bailey and Austin Hedges forming an elite defensive tandem behind the plate, and prospects Cooper Ingle and Kody Huff making their presence felt in the high minors, the Guardians decided to turn Naylor into some useful pieces.
Heuer joined the organization this offseason. He had pitched just 9.2 innings for Cleveland to this point, posting a 4.66 ERA with six strikeouts and five walks. He hadn’t quite secured his place on the roster, but his 3.76 career ERA suggests there’s talent in his right arm.
In Perkins, Cleveland is getting a bench piece for the outfield. But the Guardians remain in the hunt for a difference-maker in the lineup, preferably a right-handed bat, before the trade deadline arrives on Monday.
Yoho is a talented and controllable young reliever, and he could be part of the Guardians’ bullpen for years to come.
NEXT: Insider Reveals Why Guardians Traded Bo Naylor
