The Cleveland Guardians value defense highly. They have had multiple Gold Glove Award winners in recent years, as well as multiple candidates to win it.
They also know that catcher is still one of the most important positions in baseball, even with the current ABS challenge system. The Guardians are aware of the importance of having capable people behind the plate, willing and able to steal strikes and call a good game for their pitchers.
This is exactly why they decided to move forward with the Patrick Bailey trade. They know that, as a two-time Gold Glover, he has what it takes to help the overall defense and the pitching staff take another step forward.
His arrival is more proof of the organizational vision of having a dominant catching tandem.
“It shows you more than anything how Stephen Vogt, Chris Antonetti, and the group how they value defense behind the plate. Getting back-to-back Gold Glover [Patrick Bailey] to go with Hedgey. I saw Buster Olney at ESPN made a note that we have the two best framers,” Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Bob DiBiasio said.
Patrick Bailey and Austin Hedges might just be the best defensive catching duo we've ever had. #GuardsBall
"We have the two best framers."
– @BDbaseball6 pic.twitter.com/xlVGjXKAIH
— Bruce Drennan Show (@Bruce_Drennan) May 18, 2026
Vogt, the Guardians manager, is a former catcher. He knows exactly how a good, capable defender behind the plate can give teams a competitive edge.
Part of the decision to bring in Bailey and send Bo Naylor down was for the latter to work on his defense, and to give the former most of the starts behind the dish.
Since 2023, Bailey and Austin Hedges are first and third in Framing Runs, with 63.7 and 34.6, respectively. Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, with 34.7, is sandwiched between them. Look at the gap between Bailey and the rest. It’s amazing how much of a difference he can make for Cleveland’s hurlers.
Yes, hitters can now challenge bad calls in games, but they only get to be mistaken twice. Bailey and Hedges will be there for nine innings, making sure to fool umpires in their favor more than once per game.
Suddenly, they can take a potential 3-1 count and turn it into a 2-2 one, giving the advantage to the pitcher. They can help their hurlers get into more favorable counts. And that could be the difference between a win and a loss.
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