The Guardians are getting help behind the plate in the form of a Gold Glove catcher.
The Cleveland Guardians confirmed Saturday morning that they are acquiring catcher Patrick Bailey from the San Francisco Giants. The trade includes the Guardians 29th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, and Double-A pitching prospect Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson. To make room for Bailey, catcher Bo Naylor has been optioned to AAA Columbus.
The 26-year-old Bailey is the winner of the 2024 and 2025 National League Gold Glove award as a catcher. While he has had a slower 2026 campaign so far, Bailey is a career .224 batter with an .611 OPS in his three major league seasons with the Giants. Bailey is also in the top three in baseball this year for runners caught stealing (six).
Matt Wilkinson departs the Guardians organization as a minor league fan favorite. The Single-A Lake County Captains' all-time strikeout leader, “Tugboat,” got the call-up to AA Akron for the 2026 season. With the RubberDucks, Wilkinson posted a 1.59 ERA in 6 starts with 36 strikeouts. He was also a part of a combined no-hitter, the first for the club in a nine-inning game since 2012.
This season for the Guardians, Naylor had struggled to find his footing at the plate. The Canadian catcher was batting .143 with a .438 OPS in 84 at-bats this year. Now, he has a chance to build back up in Columbus.
The Guardians continue their series with the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. at Progressive Field.
