Zaidi pinpoints reason for ‘alpha' Bart's recent Giants success

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There has been a significant change in Joey Bart since the trade deadline.

On Aug. 2, San Francisco sent catcher Curt Casali to the Seattle Mariners, handing back Bart the duties of being the Giants’ primary option behind the plate.

“There was no notion that we need to move [Casali] for Joey to get comfortable,” Giants executive Farhan Zaidi said on “The TK Show” to The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami. “But part of the calculus really was kind of making Joey the alpha in terms of the catching situation on the team and handing him the reins.”

When Giants legend Buster Posey retired last offseason, the void behind the dish was left for Bart, a former top prospect and first-round pick. But Bart struggled out of the gate and was optioned to the minor leagues in June. When he returned the following month, it was because Casali had been placed on the 10-day injured list the day prior.

“This is the first time I think he really feels it’s his team," Zaidi said. "He is the catcher on this team. That’s definitely helped.”

Since the trade deadline, Bart is batting .375/.412/.583 in 14 games (13 starts). He has notched multiple hits in six of those 13 starts and registered two of his four career three-hit games.

But it’s more than just the stats in why the young catcher suddenly is mashing.

“Even just seeing Joey around the clubhouse, he just seems more comfortable, more assured,” Zaidi said. “It’s one of these virtuous cycle things that you play better, you get hot, you feel more comfortable. That manifests itself in your play.”

Although Bart is thriving without Casali in the Bay, the veteran backstop served as an important mentor in the first half of the season.

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"Curt was an awesome Giant, and wouldn’t rule out bringing him back," Zaidi said. "[He] had a lot of good moments for us and was very popular in our clubhouse, and rightfully so.

Bart and the Giants will begin a three-game road series against the Minnesota Twins on Friday.

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