Pirates Have Easy Choice at Catcher
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have a difficult choice facing the organization. With the team trying to stay afloat in the NL Central race, every game feels like a must-win one for the Battling Buccos.
With an early playoff atmosphere surrounding the Pirates, the team has to be picture perfect in their roster and lineup decisions over the heat of the summer. Perhaps the most pressing roster question is what to do at catcher.
Endy Rodriguez has been the main man behind the dish, but his status on the team is now in question. Joey Bart is nearing a return and Henry Davis is set to rejoin the team after taking a brief paternity leave. But even with a healthy battery of catchers, the Pirates have an easy choice. Rodriguez has been the best offensive and defensive player at the position, and they have to keep him with the MLB club for the remainder of the season.
Consistent Offensive Producer
The biggest allure of Rodriguez is his work with the bat. In 60 at-bats so far, he's recorded 16 hits, good for a .267 batting average, three home runs and eight runs batted in.
As a switch-hitting option, he also brings a versatility to the lineup. Sure, he's more of a threat from the left side, hitting .291 from that side of the dish, but he can be deployed regardless of the pitcher the team is facing. And the more opportunity he receives, the more he will deliver.
Some Magic When Rodriguez Is Behind the Dish
Call it coincidence or call it a result, but the Pirates are winning more games with Rodriguez behind the plate. In games that he starts, the Pirates are an impressive 10-6. Of the three catchers, he is the only one to backstop the team to a winning record.
In games Bart starts, the team is 7-10, while they are a .500 team with Henry Davis catching.
What Should Pirates Do?
The answer is quite simple in Pittsburgh. When Bart is healthy, he should join Rodriguez as the team's catching duo. Davis becomes the odd-man out, and he can be sent down to Triple-A until the team needs a change or an injury.
Rodriguez has done more than enough since his call-up to earn not only a job on the roster, but but the everyday catching job. He's produced at the plate, looked solid behind it and has brought a winning mindset to Pittsburgh in the middle of a rough stretch. You can't punish that performance by sending him down to Triple-A in order to have Bart and Davis haplessly occupy spots on the MLB club. Rodriguez should be here to stay for the rest of the 2026 season.
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Jacob is a featured writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for Steelers On SI and the NHL for Breakaway On SI. He also co-hosts the All Steelers Talk podcast. Previous work covering the NHL for Inside the Penguins and The Hockey News.