SAN FRANCISCO — Cleveland has acquired two-time Gold Glove catcher Patrick Bailey from San Francisco in a Saturday trade that addresses both teams’ catching situations.
San Francisco received minor league southpaw Matt Wilkinson and Cleveland’s 29th selection in the 2026 amateur draft as compensation for Bailey.
To create roster space for Bailey, Cleveland sent Bo Naylor down to Triple-A Columbus. Naylor had served as the Guardians’ primary catcher since the 2023 season.
Since his major league debut in 2023, Bailey has established himself among baseball’s premier defensive backstops, particularly excelling at pitch framing. Over the past two-plus seasons, he leads all major leaguers with 69 catcher framing runs and 42 defensive runs saved.
However, Bailey’s offensive production has been problematic and reached new lows this year. Through 89 plate appearances, he was hitting .146 with just one home run and five RBIs. Among 286 players with at least 75 plate appearances this season, his .396 OPS ranked dead last.
San Francisco could afford to move Bailey with Daniel Susac and Jesus Rodriguez positioned to share catching responsibilities, along with Eric Haase available as depth. These alternatives have delivered significantly better offensive production for the Giants, who entered Saturday averaging just 3.16 runs per game — worst in baseball — and sharing the National League’s poorest record with New York.
Bailey, who celebrates his 27th birthday later this month, captured Gold Glove honors in both 2024 and 2025. Throughout his career, he maintains a .224 batting average with a .611 OPS.
Naylor posted a .237 average during his 2023 rookie campaign but has battled offensive struggles over the subsequent two-plus seasons. His .143 batting average this year ranks last among the 29 catchers with at least 90 plate appearances.
Since 2024, his .192 batting average places him second-worst among catchers who have played in at least 200 games.
Cleveland entered Saturday with a 21-19 record atop the AL Central standings. Bailey was scheduled to join the club before Saturday night’s game against Minnesota. Austin Hedges has also received consistent playing time at catcher.
The 23-year-old Wilkinson represented Canada in this year’s World Baseball Classic. This season at Double-A Akron, he has compiled a 1-2 record with a 1.59 ERA across six starts, striking out 36 batters in 28 1/3 innings.
