With another Gold Glove, SF Giants catcher puts hitting concerns to rest

The SF Giants arguably have the best defensive catcher in baseball in Patrick Bailey which is why his lackluster offensive production should be tolerated by fans.

Rawlings announced their 2025 honors for the best fielders in Major League Baseball and the SF Giants had two recipients this year: pitcher Logan Webb and catcher Patrick Bailey. It was the first win for Webb, but the second in a row for Bailey.

Bailey is in line to possibly even win the Platinum Glove as the league’s best defender overall. He led the league by a wide margin in Defensive Runs Saved and pitch framing, two of the most important stats for the modern catcher, showing Bailey has solidified himself as the best at playing his position.

SF Giants have the best defensive catcher in the game in Patrick Bailey

Despite his elite defense, and some memorable moments at the plate, Bailey was often ridiculed by fans for his lack of offensive production. The catcher batted below .180 for much of the season and was only able to muster a below average 73 OPS+ by the end. However, his Gold Glove caliber consistency manning the most physically grueling position (he was fourth in innings caught) still earned him a positive WAR on the year.

The fixation on Bailey’s batting average just doesn’t make sense. In the National League, it wasn’t too long ago that free outs were given by having the pitcher bat at the bottom of the order. If a pitcher batted over .150, it was a bonus for your team.

With the institution of the DH, that “honor” has now gone to other players on the team. Bailey, who batted at the bottom of the order all season for the Giants, isn’t even that far off the league average in 2025 of between .245 and .251 (he finished at .222). Some entire TEAMS didn’t even pass the .230 mark (Angels and Guardians batted .225 and .226 respectively).

All of this to say, yes, Patrick Bailey is a below average hitter. However, his hitting is not as awful as it has been perceived and it’s not his game or where his value and impact on the game is earned. Don’t obsess about the batting average, a stat that is slowly dying around the league anyways. Bailey is the best defender in baseball, and like we used to say about elite pitchers back in the day, anything he gives the Giants offensively is a bonus.