SF Giants may need to consider platoon with struggling backstop

SF Giants Gold Glove backstop Patrick Bailey is off to an abysmal start to the season at the plate. This is a trend that has carried over from last season. Is it time for the club to consider more of a strict platoon with Sam Huff getting at-bats against left-handed pitching?

SF Giants may need to consider platoon with struggling backstop

Bailey has slashed just .155/.209/.226 (23 wRC+) with zero home runs, nine RBI, and seven runs in 91 plate appearances. His strikeout rate has spiked to 34.1 percent, up considerably from 22.3 percent last season. We looked at the most concerning part of that trend.

Bailey has not been particularly strong for either side of the matchup this year, posting a .432 OPS against right-handed pitching and a .442 OPS against left-handed pitching. Plus, he has registered a .477 OPS in 317 plate appearances since July 1 of last season.

That is a pretty large sample to make a judgment. Honestly, the drop off has also been a bit surprising when you consider that he got off to a good start offensively last year.

Bailey brings so much value with his defense that it is hard to sit him, but you have to wonder if it might be best for him to get a couple extra days off every week, especially when there is a lefty pitcher on the mound. That is one area where the Giants have struggled badly this season.

This iteration of the Giants roster relies more on stability than platoon matchups. That said, every team platoons to some degree, and there are some cracks that are starting to show with this lineup. While they have excelled with runners in scoring position, the overall output has been middle of the pack.

Catcher is among the problems areas, and they have a natural platoon complement in Sam Huff. He has done quite well against left-handed pitchers in his career, recording an .817 OPS with five home runs and nine RBI in 96 plate appearances.

On the year, the right-handed bat has a .661 OPS with one long ball and three RBI in 34 plate appearances. That is not someone the Giants would slot into the middle of the order, but there are some promising trends in his profile.

Huff will swing and miss quite a bit. That is just part of his game. However, he is not allergic to a walk. He does generate impressive speed, and when he makes contact, it usually generates loud exit velocity readings. His bat speed averages 73.4 MPH, and his average exit velocity comes in at 91.4 MPH, both of which are well above-average marks.

The backup catcher could be someone the Giants slot lower into the lineup. And, he is not necessarily a below-average receiver, but not on the same level as Bailey. For a backup catcher, teams just hope that the defensive drop off is not too noitceable from the starter, and that he occasionally does something with the bat.

That is what Huff profiles to be. Occasionally, he is going to run into a ball and drive it a good distance. If the Giants want to get a little more offense from the catching position, it might be time for Huff to see a few extra at-bats each week.