11:35 AM: Both teams announced a trade. 7 News’ Ari Alexander adds details that the Giants are calling for a catch Logan Porter from Triple-A to replace Bailey on the active roster, so San Francisco will be going with a three-catcher depth chart for now.
10:10 AM: Guardians found a handler Patrick Bailey from the Giants, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports. San Francisco will get a chance to go in left Matt Wilkinson and the 29th overall pick in the 2026 draft (the first Competitive Balance Round A pick, the only types of picks that can be used). Cleveland has an open spot on its 40-man roster for Bailey, and The Athletic’s Zack Meisel adds that the guard will choose to hold on. Bo Naylor to make Bailey’s place on the active roster.
Bailey has won the last two Fielding Bible Awards and the NL Gold Glove Awards, solidifying his case as the best defensive catcher in the sport. Between Bailey and the backup Austin HedgesGuardians now have the best defensive grip in recent memory, and they’ve doubled down on their commitment to prioritizing glove work over the crimes behind them. The Rangers were obviously hoping Naylor would add more pop behind the plate, but after impressive performances in his 2023 rookie season, Naylor hit just .192/.266/.351 over 893 plate appearances since Opening Day 2024.
Those numbers aren’t much less than the .224/.282/.329 slash line Bailey has posted over 1342 career PA. Bailey’s offensive offense took on an even more sinister flavor this year, as he hit just .146/.213/.183 in his first 89 outings in 2026. The situation got so bad that the Giants reduced Bailey’s playing time, initially because he was a Rule 5 pick. Daniel Susac (currently on 10 day IL) has been on fire at the plate, and has been ever since Jesus Rodriguez recalled earlier this week from Triple-A.
San Francisco will now move forward with Rodriguez and Susac when he’s healthy, too Eric Haase he is on the 26-man roster. Because Rodriguez can play multiple positions, the Giants could keep all three players even if Susac is on the injured list, if the team wants to keep Haase around to get some experience.
Although this trade is not as seismic as Rafael Devers blockbuster last June, represents one of the most aggressive early-season moves from the Giants’ baseball president. Buster Posey. Even if Bailey loses playing time, seeing the Giants move forward at catcher counts as a surprise.
The desire for change may stem from the Giants’ 15-23 start, as San Francisco is tied with the Angels and Mets for the fewest wins in baseball. As little as Bailey contributed, less offense than expected from the defensive specialist wasn’t much of a problem as the cold set in for Devers, Willy Adams, Matt Chapmanagain Harrison Bader (who is also currently in IL). That said, the club is clearly looking for runs wherever they can get them, and making way for Susac and Rodriguez is one way to move up.
There is obviously still a lot of baseball to be played before the trade deadline, however today’s move is perhaps the first sign that the Giants may be looking beyond the 2026 season. Between the Dodgers’ continued dominance and the Padres’ strong start, the Giants are eyeing a wild card berth even if they can dig their way out of this early season hole. If the problems continue, more trades will happen before the deadline, and perhaps even before the deadline given Posey’s willingness to make a significant deal at any time on the calendar.
From a pure trade value standpoint, it’s also not a bad outcome for Posey to move an expensive catcher for both a starting pitching prospect and a high draft pick. The 29th overall pick is CBR-A’s first pick, and thus the highest pick available for trade. Acquiring this pick for CBR-A adds to what will be a very important draft for the Giants, as the team was fortunate to receive the fourth pick in the draft lottery last December.
Wilkinson was the Rangers’ 10th-round pick in the 2023 draft, and is not considered a top-30 prospect in the Baseball America or MLB Pipeline rankings for Cleveland’s farm system. Still, Wilkinson has posted some solid numbers in his four professional seasons, including a 1.59 ERA, a 33.6% strikeout rate, and an 8.4% walk rate in 28 1/3 innings at Double-A Akron this season. This marked Wilkinson’s first taste of Double-A action, and a promotion to Triple-A seems out of the question before 2026 ends. Nicknamed “Tugboat,” Wilkinson had a career high playing for Team Canada in this spring’s World Baseball Classic.
The Rangers have enough other pitchers ahead of Wilkinson on the depth chart that the organization apparently felt comfortable moving the southpaw. Dealing with the CBR-A’s selection is eye-opening, as traditionally low-end Rangers rely heavily on interior design.
Moving that pick for Bailey is especially interesting, as adding Bailey doesn’t help Cleveland’s big need on offense. The Guardian’s list has been improved over recent rock numbers posted in 2025, and this improvement comes either Jose Ramirez again Steven Kwan it starts slowly. On paper, however, one might have expected the Rangers to look for a proven bat if they were going to make any kind of significant change to their everyday lineup.
Bailey is not eligible for compensation until next season, so the Rangers are able to retain control of his services through the 2029 campaign. With one defensive specialist under long-term control, it’s possible the Guard could end their cycle of one-year, $4MM contracts to keep Hedges’ services. Since high hopes Cooper Ingle expected to make his MLB debut before 2026 ends, the Rangers may move from the Naylor / Hedges era to Bailey and Ingle as their regular catching tandem.
