The San Francisco Giants have made their first big shakeup of the 2026 season, sending two-time Gold Glove-winning catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for a draft pick and pitching prospect Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson.
The draft pick acquired in the deal is No. 29 overall and is a rare one, as most MLB draft picks can’t be traded. But the pick falls in the first of MLB’s two competitive balance rounds, which typically falls between rounds 1 and 2 of the draft, and these picks can be dealt.
Wilkinson was a 2023 MLB Draft selection by the Guardians and is noted for his “disappearing” fastball. He’s part of an intriguing return for the Giants, as he’s impressed in the minors this season, amassing a 1.59 ERA while striking out 36 batters in just 28.1 innings.
Bailey was a first-round selection by the Giants in the 2020 MLB Draft and has been a mainstay in the lineup since being called up in 2023, racking up 400-plus plate appearances in each of the past two seasons. While his defense has been stellar behind the plate throughout his Giants tenure, Bailey’s bat has notoriously lagged behind.
This season has especially been a struggle, with Bailey seeing his batting average plummet down to .146, racking up just 12 hits with only one home run and five RBIs all season.
Despite his struggles at the dish, Bailey still authored two of the most iconic walk-off moments in recent Giants history — his walk-off, inside-the-park home run to beat the Phillies last season was one of the most exciting moments in Oracle Park history. And later in 2025, he would cement himself in Giants-Dodgers lore with a walk-off grand slam in September.
With Bailey now in Cleveland, rookies Daniel Susac and Jesus Rodriguez appear primed to compete for the departed catcher’s at-bats in the Giants’ lineup.