Pytlak made his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians on April 22, 1932, before being sent back down to the minor leagues with the Toledo Mud Hens. In 1933 he was back with the Indians as a reserve catcher, playing behind Roy Spencer. From 1934 to 1936, Pytlak played mostly as a reserve although, he did lead Indians catchers in games caught in the 1934 season. He became the Indians starting catcher in 1937, posting a .315 batting average in 125 games.\n', '

On August 20, 1938, as part of a publicity stunt by the Come to Cleveland Committee, Pytlak, along with Indians\' rookie catcher, Hank Helf, successfully caught baseballs dropped from Cleveland\'s 708-foot-tall (216 m) Terminal Tower by Indians\' third baseman Ken Keltner. The 708-foot (216 m) drop broke the 555-foot, 30-year-old record set by Washington Senator catcher Gabby Street at the Washington Monument. The baseballs were estimated to have been traveling at 138 miles per hour when caught.\n', '

Pytlak was the Indians\' catcher on October 2, 1938, when Bob Feller set a modern major league record of 18 strikeouts against the Detroit Tigers. Between September 10, 1938 and September 18, 1940, Pytlak handled 571 consecutive chances for the Indians without an error, erasing the previous major league mark of 452 set by Gabby Hartnett of the Chicago Cubs. A rivalry between Pytlak and Rollie Hemsley for the Indians starting catcher\'s role erupted during spring training in 1939, with Pytlak threatening to quit the team if he wasn\'t named the team\'s number one catcher. Pytlak was also resentful of Hemsley when, the latter became known as Bob Feller\'s personal catcher during the 1938 season. When Pytlak suffered an injury in the 1939 season, Hemsley replaced him as the Indians\' starting catcher, and played well enough to keep Pytlak from regaining the number one position. Even so, Indians\' pitcher Johnny Allen refused to pitch unless Pytlak was the catcher.\n', '

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