The Guardians made a postseason lineup call with October stakes attached Sunday, handing Patrick Bailey the catching assignment for Parker Messick in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the Rays at Progressive Field.
Cleveland entered the afternoon aiming to move ahead 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, and manager Stephen Vogt chose Bailey’s offensive upside against Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen. Bailey arrived with a .333 postseason average, going 9-for-27 with two homers across nine games.
The move broke up one of Cleveland’s most consistent battery combinations. Austin Hedges had caught 34 of Messick’s first 35 starts between the regular season and playoffs, while David Fry handled the lone other outing. Bailey, despite joining the club months ago and taking part in the preparation, had never caught Messick in a game before Sunday.
A new battery in a pivotal game
Vogt said the idea had surfaced before Game 2 of the ALCS, when Cleveland also considered putting Bailey behind the plate to add his bat. Hedges ultimately started that game, and Messick worked five innings while allowing three unearned runs on six hits. He issued two walks and hit one batter.
This time, with the series at a critical point, the Guardians went through with the switch. Vogt said Messick, Hedges and Bailey supported the decision.
“They were all on board with it,” Vogt said. “Hedgey is the best teammate on the planet.”
Hedges’ familiarity with Messick carries weight. A veteran catcher can spot subtle details during an outing, and that pitcher-catcher comfort had been built over nearly an entire season. Still, Cleveland believed Bailey had the credentials and preparation to handle the assignment.
Bailey is a two-time Gold Glove winner, and Vogt did not frame the decision as a reckless attempt to force offense into the lineup.
“If you play it safe all the time, you’re going to go home early,” Vogt said. “I don’t think this is a huge risk putting Patty back there. He’s one of the best catchers on the planet. Parker’s one of the best pitchers on the planet. So you trust two elite athletes to go do it.”
Messick’s rise and Bailey’s arrival
Messick established himself quickly in Cleveland’s rotation. Through six April starts, the left-hander posted a 1.73 ERA over 36 1/3 innings. His strong first half earned him an All-Star selection, and he grew into a candidate in both the American League Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year races.
As Messick took off, Hedges became his regular receiver. Bailey did not arrive until Cleveland acquired him from the Giants on May 9, by which point the Messick-Hedges pairing had already found a rhythm.
That did not leave Bailey unfamiliar with the left-hander. He has been involved in the club’s advance work alongside Hedges and Fry, attending the meetings that shape game plans for Cleveland’s starters. Sunday simply marked the first time that preparation carried into live action with Messick on the mound.
Vogt said the postseason changes the usual calculus.
“It’s the playoffs,” Vogt said. “All bets are off when you get to the playoffs. At the end of the day, you trust two elite people at their positions to go out and navigate a game.”
For Cleveland, the choice was about more than getting another productive bat into the order. It was a vote of confidence in Bailey’s defense, Messick’s ability to adjust and Hedges’ willingness to put the club’s needs ahead of his own as the Guardians chased a step closer to the World Series.
