Toughest Contract Decision Facing Pirates This Winter
In this story:
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates will make some big decisions this season, particularly regarding whether to offer certain players contracts.
Catcher Endy Rodríguez is one of those Pirates players and is up for arbitration for the first time this offseason.
Rodríguez put up his best season for the Pirates in 2026, but also had another devastating injury, limiting him to just 45 games.
The Pirates could avoid arbitration with Rodríguez, or they could non-tender him, making him a free agent and finding another solution at catcher.
Why the Pirates Will Re-Sign Rodríguez
Rodríguez has had some poor luck when it comes to injuries, but the promise he has when he's healthy is too hard for the Pirates to ignore.
He hit .267/.373/.467 for an OPS of .840 in 2026, with 36 hits in 135 at-bats, six doubles, seven home runs, 20 RBI and 23 walks to 41 strikeouts.
Rodríguez gave the Pirates a serious contributor on offense, as Henry Davis has continued his struggles and Joey Bart had a difficult start to 2026.
The Pirates even traded Bart to the Atlanta Braves on June 18, after he was cleared from his left foot infection, which gave Rodríguez a chance on May 12.
Rodríguez had some big moments for the Pirates as well, with two hits for two RBI in the 7-2 win over the Colorado Rockies at PNC Park on May 14, his MLB season debut, and his three-run home run in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, giving his team an 11-7 lead in the eventual win on June 29.
He is a switch-hitter, much better from the left side, but someone the Pirates can rely to produce offensively when he's at the plate and play a big role in them ending their long postseason drought next season.
Why the Pirates Won't Re-Sign Rodríguez
There's no doubt Rodríguez is talented, but he's almost never on the field to show it due to injuries over the past three seasons.
Rodríguez underwent reconstructive surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and flexor tendon on Dec. 12, 2023, following an injury to his right elbow during winter ball, knocking him out for the 2024 season.
He returned in 2025, but then suffered a laceration to his right index finger after taking a curveball from Paul Skenes against the Washington Nationals at PNC Park on April 14.
Rodríguez missed 52 games, played three games in June, went back on the injured list, and underwent season-ending surgery on Aug. 13, an ulnar nerve transposition on his right elbow.
The Pirates catcher finally got his elbow problems under control in 2026, but his lower body betrayed him.
Rodríguez missed 15 games in July with a left glute strain, returned for 10 games, then returned to the injured list and underwent season-ending surgery on his left hip labrum, which will keep him from resuming baseball activities until March-May 2027.
He's played just 63 games over the past three seasons, about 13%, making him someone the Pirates can't rely on.
Rodríguez needs to be on the field to contribute, but his injury problems seem like they'll never end.
The Pirates also have another offensively productive catcher in Rafael Flores Jr., who hit .264/.331/.527 for an OPS of .858, with 11 home runs in 47 games, who could replace Rodríguez.
What the Pirates Should Do With Rodríguez for 2027
The Pirates, even despite his injury history, should avoid arbitration with/non-tendering Rodríguez and bring him back for next season.
MLB Trade Rumors projected a $1.2 million salary for Rodríguez, only about $400,000 above what the MLB minimum was in 2026 ($780,000).
That is a small sum for Rodríguez and one the Pirates should assume and hope that they can the best out of their much-injured catcher.
His offensive prowess and speed are both important at the catcher position and something that will benefit the Pirates if he can stay healthy.
Rodríguez won't make his debut, lockout pending, until April at the earliest, depending on how he progresses during his rehab.
The Pirates also will have three catchers going out for the starting role in 2027 and need the depth as well, with no other catcher on the 40-man roster.
It's not a bad group to have Davis, Flores and Rodríguez, all of whom bring different skillsets and attributes that should benefit Pittsburgh next season.
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.