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Pirates Catcher Earns Massive Opportunity

Sep 8, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodríguez (5) warms up before a game against the Washington Nationals at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Pirates Catcher Earns Massive Opportunity

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated May 13, 2026 11:00 AM ET

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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have a catcher who has had to wait a great deal of time to prove himself, but now has the chance to do so.

The Pirates recalled catcher Endy Rodríguez from Triple-A Indianapolis on May 12, as they placed fellow catcher Joey Bart on the 10-day injured list with a left foot infection.

Rodríguez will serve as one of two Pirates catchers, along with Henry Davis, where he'll work with one of the better pitching staffs in baseball moving forward.

It's a great opportunity for Rodríguez, who once looked like a promising talent behind the plate, but has dealt with numerous setbacks.

How Rodríguez Can Seize This Moment

Rodríguez is finally healthy in 2026, something that he hasn't been fortunate enough to be in previous years.

He's started 20 games at catcher and 13 games at designated hitter in Triple-A this season, splitting time with Rafael Flores Jr.

Rodríguez hasn't hit as well as anticipated in Indianapolis, slashing .221/.326/.301 for an OPS of .627 in 34 games at Indianapolis, with 25 hits in 113 at-bats, six doubles, one home run, 16 RBI and 18 walks to 30 strikeouts.

His May hasn't been great either, with just four hits in 22 at-bats for a .182 batting average.

Rodríguez needs to show he can hit better, particularly as Davis is fantastic from behind the plate and is a stronger defensive catcher.

Davis isn't the greatest hitter himself and has also performed poorly at the plate this season, slashing .157/.271/.265 for an OPS of .536 in 31 games.

Rodríguez, if he improves from the plate, will give the Pirates a catcher they could rely on for offensive production in 2026.

Bart had hit better as of late, .412 in May and bringing his batting average up to .259, so there's a role for Rodríguez on the Pirates if he can fill it.

Overview of Endy Rodriguez's Injury History

Rodríguez came into 2026 having hardly played the previous two seasons due to different injury problems.

He missed the entirety of the 2024 MLB season after suffering an injury to his right elbow during winter ball and underwent reconstructive surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and flexor tendon on December 12, 2023.

Rodríguez did end up playing some games in 2024, but only six contests with Double-A Altoona and four games with Indianapolis.

He then came back with the Pirates in 2025, made the Opening Day roster, but then suffered a right index finger laceration, requiring stitches, after taking a curveball from star pitcher Paul Skenes off his throwing hand vs. the Washington Nationals at PNC Park on April 14.

That start brought Davis off the bench and made him Skenes' catcher going forward into the future.

Rodríguez came back from that injury on May 28, but would leave his start vs. the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park on June 7 and never played again.

He had pain in his ulnar nerve, which resulted in him undergoing season-ending surgery on his right elbow, that he eventually returned healthy from before Spring Training.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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