Eager to Begin: San Francisco Giants' Bailey Ready for Action

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Pat the (Offensively) Discontent: Bailey's Off-Year Woes

Let's talk about Patrick "Pat" Bailey,San Francisco Giants' star defensive catcher, having an off-year at the plate. Known for his stellar glove work, he's at the top of most defensive leaderboards, setting his sights on another Gold Glove Award. But his bat, sadly, ain't living up to expectations.

Over 33 games, the snappy switch-hitter is batting just .194/.234/.276 with no long balls under his belt. He's on a four-game hitting streak, but currently 52 percent worse than an average Joe at the plate, according to OPS+. While Bailey's primary mission is to lead the Giants' pitching staff, they hope he returns as the two-way force he once was.

"I know he's itching to bail me out," says hitting coach Pat Burrell, "He's almost there, so let's keep an eye on him. He definitely puts in the reps before games. It ain't easy juggling one side of things, but with switch hitters, that's just the reality."

Bailey's offensive slump isn't recent - far from it. Since the second half of '24, Bailey's .461 OPS over 291 plate appearances ranks rock bottom among players with at least 250 plate appearances. For a guy who once posted a .283 batting average,.784 OPS, seven homers, and 31 RBIs in the first half of '24, the dip in offensive production seems odd.

"We're winning games, and I'm doin' what I can to contribute," Bailey says. "Just trying to stay consistent behind the plate, manage the pitching staff, then put the effort in offensively to find my groove."

Here are a few things standing out in Bailey's offensive profile:

Chasing Shadows: Bailey has been chasing pitches more often this season, jumping from a 25.1 percent chase rate (72nd percentile) in '24 to 29.4 percent (37th percentile) in '25. His whiff rate has doubled, too, sitting at 36.1 percent, compared to 23.4 percent last season. Unsurprisingly, this has resulted in fewer walks and more strikes.

"It's tough to chill when you ain't performing," Burrell notes. "Everyone feels that. Nobody's immune. We've seen it with quite a few players. To the point about Patty chasing, he's a guy who can handle a walk. He understands the game and the pitches being thrown at him. I think it's fixing to come down to him getting comfortable again."

Chasing the Cheese: Bailey's batted-ball profile is also vastly different this season. In '24, Bailey had a .411 ground ball rate, .307 line drive rate, and .249 fly ball rate. But this season, he's seen fewer ground balls (28.8%), more line drives (16.7%), and a significant increase in fly balls (50.0%).

"Ground balls usually ain't ideal, but fly balls can hurt too," says Bailey. "Just trying to burn more line drives."

Keeping Away From Home: Pitchers have been shrewdly avoiding Bailey's sweet spots. As a lefty hitter, his prowess lies in high pitches in the strike zone, especially high-and-inside. As a righty hitter, he thrives on inside pitches. This season, pitchers are staying clear of where Bailey has had success.

Amidst this cold streak, Bailey has made no significant mechanical adjustments. He's found himself deeper in the batter's box compared to last season, but Bailey insists it ain't intentional. As a few Giants' teammates are also struggling, though, pressure can sometimes feel like a bearhug, making it tough to find one's swing.

"He's not the only one sweatin' it," says manager Bob Melvin, "So, sometimes, you put the squish on yourself when you don't get off to a hot start. His offensive decline in the second half last year has been a pattern. It's just a matter of time for him."

As the Giants' bats are startin' to warm up in recent days, Bailey could be back in his groove soon. Maybe the bats are like old friends, just needing a bit of time together to hit their rhythm again.

In the meantime, let's hope Pat Bailey dusts off that Gold Glove and shines brightly, while we wait for his bat to catch up to the occasion.

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Pat Bailey's offensive struggles persist, with his chase rate increasing from the 72nd percentile in 2024 to the 37th percentile in 2025, resulting in a doubled whiff rate and fewer walks.
Bailey's batted-ball profile shows a shift this season, featuring fewer ground balls, more line drives, and a significant increase in fly balls compared to his previous season.
Pitchers have been avoiding Bailey's characteristic sweet spots, mainly staying away from high pitches in the strike zone, his always-potent zones as a lefty hitter, and inside pitches, his strength as a righty hitter.
In the MLB, pitchers actively work to counter their hitters' strengths, a reality that switch hitters like Bailey often face, juggling between the two styles.