Patrick Bailey Returns to the East Coast, Excited to Be Closer to Home

Patrick Bailey is returning closer to home.

On Saturday, May 9, the 26-year-old catcher was dealt to the Cleveland Guardians from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for the No. 29 pick in this year's draft and prospect pitcher Matt Wilkinson.

Bailey, who had been struggling for quite a bit of time at the plate with the Giants, was passed over in the lineup, and it had become known that the team was looking to go another direction at the catcher position.

While sitting in the press room at Progressive Field, just hours after arriving in Cleveland, he was asked about his time in San Francisco. He went on to give an honest answer, saying that he felt that doors were starting to close.

"I just felt like I was losing opportunities, losing at-bats and obviously Jesus [Rodriguez] and Daniel Susac have been playing really well," he said. "You kind of get an idea of, you stop playing, you get a feel for what's going on."

But he went on to say that this opportunity to play in Cleveland is one he welcomes and is excited for.

Of everyone on the roster, Bailey said that he couldn't wait to play alongside veteran catcher Austin Hedges. Not only have the two been regularly in contact, but they actually played in the same Fantasy Football league as well.

"I am ready to get out there," he began. "I've been wanting to play with Hedges my whole career. Being able to work with him, I am super pumped....It's awesome. It's awesome. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve, just ready to get going, see what's under the tree."

With Cleveland now having a one-two punch in Bailey and Hedges, it's hard to imagine there will be any dip in productivity behind home plate in the near future. Both are widely regarded as two of the best defensive catchers in baseball, with Bailey's back-to-back Golden Glove awards giving merit to such a claim.

Last season, alongside his prestigious fielding award, he led the league in catcher framing runs at +25 and defensive runs saved at +19. He was also tied for first in pop time to second base at a mark of 1.86 seconds and finished second in shadow strike rate at 47.7%.

"Yeah, I think a lot of it's timing. Trying to match the pitch shapes," he said about his framing, something that led to that shadow strike rate being so high. "I think that would probably be the most important thing for me early on is just to get a feel for what each pitcher's shape does when it's right, what it does when it backs up. And just kind of go from there.

"I think a lot of it's just confidence and the preparation and the work that I've been doing every day. There'll be a little bit of a learning curve for each guy, but I'll get comfortable."

And while he’s being placed in an even better situation to grow as a defensively minded catcher, surrounding himself with one of the best in recent memory, he’s also getting closer to his “why”: family.

Growing up in North Carolina and attending NC State, Bailey had spent much of his early life on the East Coast. Now, after spending roughly the past six years on the West Coast, he will be back closer to his wife and kids.

"Yeah, it's awesome," Bailey said. "I'm excited about that. My wife is a lot more excited about that. We've got two kids and one on the way, so that hour-and-a-half flight is going to be a little bit easier than five-and-a-half when she's flying out."

Bailey has yet to make his debut with the Guardians, but everything points towards him suiting up in the red and navy blue at some point this weekend.

With new threads, a mentor in his corner and family closer than ever, the stage is set for him to thrive while in The Land.

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