The Giants have a catcher problem, and it is starting to look less like a short-term rotation than a decision they may have to make about Patrick Bailey. Bailey and Daniel Susac are both getting starts, but the split has not quieted the debate over who should handle most of the work behind the plate.
Fans are leaning hard toward Susac, whose bat has been hotter and has made the case for more playing time. Bailey, though, is still giving the Giants something they cannot replace easily. On Saturday against the Washington Nationals, he made a great play that showed why the club still trusts him defensively, and his pitch-framing remains described as unmatched even with the ABS system in place.
Bailey’s appeal was easier to see when he burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2023, when he was drawing attention for both offense and defense. Since then, his bat has cooled, and that has fueled the feeling among some around the team that the Giants may eventually decide it is time to move on. For now, though, the cleaner move is to keep both catchers and preserve two viable options while the season unfolds.
That does not mean Bailey is untouchable. If the Giants get closer to the deadline and find themselves needing another reliever, Bailey could become a trade chip rather than a fixture. Miami is one possible landing spot, because the Marlins already have two strong offensive catchers in Liam Hicks and Agustin Ramirez and could use Bailey’s defense. In that setup, Hicks could move to first base or designated hitter, while the Giants might ask for Tyler Phillips, who has a 0.75 ERA this season.
The Marlins are only one of the possible fits. Tampa Bay is another club that could make sense, because catcher is viewed as the one position the Rays really had to upgrade this season and their current options are not all that strong. That leaves the Giants in a familiar position: trying to decide whether Bailey is still part of the answer, or the kind of asset that brings back help somewhere else when the deadline pressure starts to build.