Why the Guardians Traded for Patrick Bailey Was Clear in the Series Sweep of Tigers

After bringing in the tying run of Wednesday night's win, helping propel the Cleveland Guardians to an extra-innings win over the Detroit Tigers, recently acquired catcher Patrick Bailey one-upped himself.

On Thursday, May 21, the Guardians and Tigers matched up against one another for the series finale of a four-game set. And Bailey, who was batting towards the tail-end of the lineup, stepped up big for the Guardians. As they led, 2-1, he waltzed up to the plate and bashed a solo home run.

The knock from the two-time Golden Glove award winner was just his second hit as a member of the Guardians and his first homer.

“Yeah, we’re playing good baseball right now," Bailey said to media in Detroit postgame. "Manufacturing runs in different ways, pitching is unbelievable, lights out. And like our defense has been playing well too. So, again, we're definitely playing good ball, just need to keep it up.”

But while it is always exciting to see a player send a ball the distance, what made the difference for Cleveland was what Bailey did behind the plate.

With Joey Cantillo on the mound, Bailey not only called and framed an incredible game, but also overturned two balls to strikes. Countless times this season, the Guardians have struggled using the ABS system, with Bailey's command of it on Wednesday having a big impact.

After Cantillo exited the game, Bailey went on to overturn two more challenges for the Guardians' relief pitchers.

“I mean, strikes are important, count leverage is important," Bailey said postgame. "I haven't been very good at it this year, so just trying to continue to improve. Obviously happy that we were able to get that done today.”

This season, Cleveland's ABS percentage sits at 38%, with them successfully challenging 23 and unsuccessfully challenging 37. While most of the bumps in their correct percentage came early in the year, they've begun to settle into the change nicely.

This season, Bailey has won 55% of his challenges, which is a nice bump for the success rates of the Guardians' backstops. He has correctly challenged 21 and has had just 17 wrong.

And that is exactly why the front office traded for a player of his skillset.

They value someone who can change the game from behind the plate, and also give little compliments from at it from time to time.

As long as he can keep progressing on the hitting side, all while maintaining his impact defensively, the Guardians may have found their backstop of the future.

“Anytime you win a four-game series, it's tough," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt concluded after the Tigers series. "It's tough to win a four-game series, let alone sweep it. And just really proud of the way our guys kept their focus, kept going.

"We're in the middle of 13 a row, and after, you know, a couple of emotional wins back to back, it could be easy to show up today, you know, on your heels, but our guys came out ready to rock.”

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