Jesus loves the mothers

May 10, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants Willy Adames (2) pours the contents of a beverage cooler over catcher Jesus Rodriguez (79) after Rodriguez hit the game-winning single in the twelfth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images Jesus Rodriguez had a chance to end Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh in the 10th inning. The bases were loaded, Willy Adames had just come through with a 2-out, 2-RBI single to knot the Giants back up with the Pirates at six.

All the Bay Area mothers, crowned under their inside-out rally caps and feted with a tote bag stadium giveaway on their special day, crossed their fingers in hope. Rodriguez, who is learning to catch on the fly while trying to fill a defensive hole left by one of the elite defenders in the league, was chosen over Bailey for exactly these types of moments when a disciplined at-bat could make the difference. The irony is that while Bailey was a liability with a bat, he’ll be remembered forever in San Francisco, not for how he framed a Logan Webb sinker, but for his walk-off inside the park homer, or his walk-off grand slam against the Dodgers.

The sub . 600 OPS won’t be missed, nor the day-in and day-out lifeless at-bats — but once in a blue moon, Bailey did something truly magical. He just possessed that clutch gene.

Did his replacement? Perhaps an unfair question so early on his career — but a question that was quickly answered all the same when Rodriguez flailed at two sweepers nowhere near the zone. A four pitch see-ya, a couples of swings that looked like a white flag surrendering to an 11th inning.