Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson in his @GoSquirrels and #SFGiants debut today in Erie: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 SO
Lowers his season ERA to 1.35, which is the lowest in the Eastern League
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HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 13: Matt Wilkinson #35 of Team Canada pitches against Team United States during the eighth inning at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
The San Francisco Giants made headlines on May 9 after trading their two-time Gold Glove catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians. The Giants received the No. 29 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft and left-handed pitching prospect Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson.
The husky 6-foot-1-inch, 250-pound starter was sent to the Double-A Richmond Squirrels, where he shone in his debut earlier today.
Wilkinson pitched 5 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out 6 batters. He lowered his ERA to 1.35, which is the lowest in the Eastern League.
Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson in his @GoSquirrels and #SFGiants debut today in Erie: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 SO
Lowers his season ERA to 1.35, which is the lowest in the Eastern League
The Cleveland Guardians drafted Wilkinson in the 10th round, 308th overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft.
The lefty pitcher is only 23 years old and represented Canada in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He pitched well for Team Canada in limited work. Wilkinson threw 2.2 innings and did not allow an earned run.
Wilkinson has seen success at every minor league level. But this season, he is showing why he could quickly move up through the Giants’ farm system. The husky lefty holds a 2-2 record while managing a 1.35 ERA through 7 starts. He has also recorded 42 strikeouts in 33.1 innings pitched.
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 09: Patrick Bailey #16 of the Cleveland Guardians looks on during the tenth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field on May 09, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
The former Giants starting catcher was struggling at the plate with San Francisco and has yet to record a hit for his new ballclub. Bailey has only started two games for the Guardians, however.
The two-time Gold Glove winner is hitless in 5 at-bats, but he does have an RBI. In his first start, he went 0-for-3, grounded into a double play, and struck out in a 5-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
But Bailey is not known for his bat. He held a .146 batting average in 30 games, which made it easier for the Giants’ President of Baseball Operations, Buster Posey, to trade him.
The Giants have started a combination of rookie Jesus Rodriguez and veteran Eric Haase at catcher after Bailey’s departure. Rookie Daniel Susac is also expected to rejoin the team soon after his rehab in Triple-A Sacramento.
All three catchers have produced with the bat in limited plate appearances. Rodriguez has tallied 6 hits in 21 at-bats, including a home run and 4 RBIs. He also lifted the Giants to a 12th-inning walk-off win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.
Fellow rookie Daniel Susac was pushing for the starting catcher role early in the season. He held a .478 batting average before being placed on the 15-day IL with an elbow injury.
Meanwhile, Haase has 6 hits in 18 at-bats. He got the start at catcher for the Giants on May 12, where he hit two home runs in a 6-2 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ ace pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Kyle Har is a sports reporter focused on the MLB and NFL, covering the San Francisco Giants and San Francisco 49ers for Heavy.com. He has four years of experience as a sports radio producer at KNBR in San Francisco and works as a co-host for their Warriors postgame show, "Dubs OT," and weekly Warriors talk show "Just Dubs." More about Kyle Har
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