On Monday, Cleveland Guardians starter Slade Cecconi notched his third win of the season after limiting the Detroit Tigers to two runs in 7.1 innings. He was very solid and also happened to get some help from his defense, specifically from catcher Austin Hedges.
Hedges, as you probably know, has a reputation as one of the best defenders in the league behind the plate. Not only does he call a great game, but he is also looking to keep runners honest; he blocks balls in the dirt, he has a strong, accurate arm, and he is an elite framer.
He put his baseball instincts on display on Monday, in the fourth inning, picking off Riley Greene at first base and getting an important out before Cleveland broke the game open. The Guardians were up by one run, with a man at first and two outs, when Hedges stunned Greene and got the final out of the inning after a successful challenge.
Cecconi was in awe of Hedges’ awareness, accuracy, and overall baseball IQ. He praised the catcher for always being on the lookout for ways to get outs and help his pitchers.
“Hedgey’s so good at it. The guy’s a defensive freaking savant back there. And that’s not a, like, base stealer on first base, you know, that’s not a guy that’s out there trying to steal bags. Like so many catchers will just check off, you know, and just be like, ‘Oh, he’s not going anywhere. I don’t think about him’. Like, Hedgey’s constantly looking for ways to get outs in unconventional ways, and it makes such a big impact,” Cecconi said.
#Guardians Slade Cecconi in Detroit on Austin Hedges’ pick off of Riley Greene:
“Hedgey’s so good at it. The guy's a defensive freaking savant back there. And that's not a, like, base stealer on first base, you know, that's not a guy that's out there trying to steal bags. Like so…— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) May 19, 2026
That out gave Cecconi enough confidence to finish his outing strong, which he absolutely did. He is on a roll, with a 2.17 ERA in his last three starts, and while the pitcher himself is the primary factor behind his own surge, having such a quality catching tandem in Hedges and Patrick Bailey has to feel good for him and the rest of Cleveland’s hurlers.
Hedges is, without a doubt, a difference-maker behind the dish. He does so many things well, driven by a desire to win ballgames, that the baseball universe often takes him for granted.
Not Cecconi, or Guardians pitchers for that matter, though. They know exactly what they have in him.
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