Pirates' Endy Rodríguez Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
In this story:
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have had high hopes for Endy Rodríguez, but injuries have ruined a promising career.
The Pirates announced that Rodríguez underwent surgery to repair his left hip labrum on Aug. 25, ending his 2026 campaign.
Dr. Thomas Byrd completed the surgery in Nashville, Tenn. and the Pirates expect Rodríguez will return to full baseball activities in seven to nine months.
That puts Rodríguez on a return for March-May 2027, meaning he won't come back until early-middle part of next season, pending the signing of a new collective bargaining agreement between the owners and the MLBPA.
Injuries Continue Hampering Rodríguez
Rodríguez has had issues with his left hip, going on the 10-day injured list back on Aug. 13 with left hip inflammation on Aug. 13, retroactive to Aug. 10, and got scratched from his last start on Aug. 8 vs. the New York Mets at PNC Park, missing the last 17 games.
Surgery was always a possibility for Rodríguez, who had been looking for second opinions over the past week and he, his camp and the Pirates all came to agreement on this procedure.
He also missed time with left glute strain, not playing in 15 games in July before returning and trying to stay on the field this season.
This is also the third serious sugery that Rodriguez has undergone in his career, all coming in the past three years.
It ends a strong season for Rodríguez and marks his third serious surgery he's undergone the past three years, marking a big concern for the future of his major league career.
He underwent reconstructive surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and flexor tendon in his right elbow on Dec. 12, 2023, following an injury in winter ball, which kept him from playing for the Pirates in 2024 and just 10 games between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis.
Rodríguez then had another right elbow surgery, this time addressing pain in his ulnar nerve, that came on Aug. 12, 2025, a season he played just 18 games in.
How Pirates Address Catcher Going Forward
The Pirates won't have their best hitting catcher for the foreseeable future and it's unfortunate for Rodríguez, who was having the best season of his career up to his second injury.
Rodríguez hit .267/.373/.467 for an OPS of .840 in 45 games with the Pirates, with 36 hits in 135 a-bats, six doubles, seven home runs, 20 RBI and 23 walks to 41 strikeouts.
Henry Davis is the Pirates first choice catcher, but has struggled from the plate, batting .167/.265/.295 for an OPS of .560.
Davis has been strong from behind the plate, but the Pirates need better from him going forward as a hitter.
Rafael Flores Jr. is now the backup option at catcher, but has been a strong hitter, slashing .254./342/.567 for an OPS of .909 in 25 games, with six home runs and 14 RBI.
Christian Bethancourt, who the Pirates traded for the New York Yankees for back on Aug. 19, will likely end up on the 40-man roster, as the Pirates need a third option at catcher.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.