CLEVELAND -- Parker Messick and Austin Hedges have been as much of a package deal as any pitcher-catcher pairing this season. For Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, the Guardians made a change.
Patrick Bailey drew the start at catcher on Sunday against the Rays at Progressive Field, as the Guardians looked to take a 3-2 advantage in the best-of-seven series. It marked just the second time this season Hedges was not behind the plate for a Messick start.
Even more noteworthy: Sunday was the first time Bailey caught Messick in a game this season.
The Guardians talked about doing this in Game 2 of the ALCS on Tuesday as a means to get Bailey’s bat in the lineup. He entered Sunday hitting .333 (9-for-27) with two home runs over nine playoff games. Hedges ultimately drew the start, when Messick was charged with just three unearned runs on six hits, two walks and a hit batter over five innings.
With an opportunity to take control of this series on Sunday, the Guardians opted to get Bailey’s bat in the lineup against right-hander Drew Rasmussen.
“They were all on board, all for it,” manager Stephen Vogt said of Bailey, Hedges and Messick. “Hedgey is the best teammate on the planet.”
Vogt acknowledged there is at least some level of risk doing this now. Hedges caught 34 of Messick’s first 35 starts this year, between the regular season and playoffs, with David Fry handling the other. There are little things Hedges may see behind the plate due to his experience that Bailey may not.
But we’re talking about a two-time Gold Glove Award winner here in Bailey. He’s more than capable of handling this.
“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.”
That Bailey hadn’t caught Messick before Sunday was a matter of the rapport between the lefty and Hedges, as well as circumstance.
Messick came out of the gates strong this season, logging a 1.73 ERA in 36 1/3 innings over six starts through April. It was part of a stellar first half that earned him an All-Star selection, as he eventually solidified himself as an AL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year candidate.
While Hedges became Messick’s quasi personal catcher, the Guardians added Bailey to the mix via a trade with the Giants on May 9. Bailey obviously got up to speed with Cleveland’s pitching staff over time, but the Hedges-Messick pairing remained because it was working.
Bailey is plenty familiar with Messick despite his lack of in-game experience. He’s part of every game-planning meeting with Hedges and Fry.
Bailey and Messick will look to get the Guardians one step closer to the World Series.
“It's the playoffs. I think all bets are off when you get to the playoffs,” Vogt said. “At the end of the day, you trust two elite people at their positions to go out and navigate a game.”