Exactly a week ago, the Cleveland Guardians made a splash in the trade market by acquiring Patrick Bailey from the San Francisco Giants. The two-time Gold Glove-winning catcher represented a huge defensive upgrade over Bo Naylor, even if the offensive level is basically the same.
Granted, Bailey is far from an offensive weapon, but he can certainly manage a pitching staff, and he neutralizes opposing teams’ running threat like few other catchers in the sport.
The Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland’s current opponent, have some speedy and aggressive baserunners, and the newcomer certainly changes the equation for the Guardians. For foes, it’s not the same to take off second or third against Naylor as it is against Bailey.
“Cade Cracas speaks to how important it is to have a strong catcher like Bailey to help this pitching staff through a difficult series,” The Daily Guards wrote, with a video of the analyst’s thoughts on how having Bailey and Austin Hedges on the active roster will help limit the Reds’ threats on the bases during the weekend series, including Elly De La Cruz.
It's nice having Patrick Bailey in town when you have a speedster like Elly De La Cruz on the base paths. #GuardsBall@cracascade speaks to how important it is to have a strong catcher like Bailey to help this pitching staff through a difficult series. pic.twitter.com/PQVGfNp0zA
— The Daily Guards (@DailyGuards) May 16, 2026
On Friday’s opener, Matt McLain was successful in the only stolen base attempt by Cincinnati, but that doesn’t mean the Reds will be running wild against Bailey. In fact, he ranks third in baseball among catchers with 86 caught stealings since 2023. Only Cal Raleigh (87) and Shea Langeliers (93) have more.
The guy has an excellent arm behind the plate, and foes respect it. He nailed 28.4 percent of would-be basestealers since the start of 2023, while Naylor had a 19.8 percent caught stealing rate.
Additionally, runners know that Cleveland now has a two-time Gold Glover back there, preventing them from running wild. It’s certainly a weapon. And if Bailey isn’t there, Hedges will be.
The Guardians place a lot of value on catching defense and game-calling, not to mention framing and throwing arm. And Bailey excels at all of them. With him in the fold, Cleveland has a true star behind the dish, someone capable of calling the most appropriate pitch for specific game situations while also stopping the opposing team’s running game. Oh, and pitchers already love him.
If they manage to get some offense out of him, it will be a huge bonus, but he doesn’t even need to be a league-average hitter to be an impact player.
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