Pirates May Have Solution at Catcher

Rodríguez hit both balls hard, with his double going 97.9 mph off the bat and 314 feet to left field and then his single going 92.2 mph off the bat to center field. Both balls were also no where near a Rockies defender, something the young Pirates catcher always enjoys.

"Hit the ball where nobody is," Rodríguez said postgame. "That’s the best feeling that we have in this sport."

Rodríguez then had a big challenge from behind the plate and worked with a different Pirates pitching plan than normal.

The Pirates had left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery make a spot start, then fellow southpaw Evan Sisk come in the next inning and normal right-handed starting pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski throwing the following five innings.

Rodríguez handled his duties well, with Montgomery and Sisk posting scoreless Frames and Mlodzinski only allowing two runs, while right-handed pitchers Dennis Santana and Yohan Ramírez came in and threw scoreless outings in the eighth and ninth innings to secure the win.

Pirates manager Don Kelly praised his catcher after the game for his offense, but also for the game he called and his work with the pitching staff.

"It can be tough to do," Kelly said on Rodriguez's job. "The Rockies, they're tough because they can go back and forth, match up pretty well. To have multiple pitchers come in throughout with different stuff, I thought Endy did a great job receiving but also calling the game. All those guys have different stuff."

Rodríguez Could Finally Realize Potential

There was a time that Rodríguez was one of the best future talents for the Pirates, after they acquired him from the New York Mets on Jan. 19, 2021, ending up as the team's second best prospect in 2023.

Injuries have seriously stunted Rodriguez's development the past two years, as he didn't play at all for the Pirates in 2024 and only played 18 games in 2025.

Rodríguez's injuries have come from his right elbow, undergoing reconstructive surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and flexor tendon on Dec. 12, 2023 following an injury in winter ball. He also more pain in his ulnar nerve in June 2025, which resulted in him undergoing season-ending surgery.

The Pirates have had other prospects come through in his absence, with the likes of pitchers in Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler, plus position players in Konnor Griffin and even catcher Henry Davis, who is fantastic from behind the plate.

Rodríguez could become the catcher the Pirates envisioned in 2023, a switch hitter with offensive production that they've lacked overall.

Davis has hit poorly, slashing .151/.263/.256 for an OPS of .519 in 32 games, while Joey Bart has hit .259/.290/.379 for an OPS of .669 in 21 games, with his May helping out his slash line, but is also injured.

Rodríguez has this opportunity to show he belongs with the Pirates long-term and if he can hit like he did vs. the Rockies, while also putting in the work from behind the plate that he did, there's a chance he can do so.

For Rodríguez, he's taking a more humble approach, looking at his peers and learning from them any chance he can to realize his full potential in Pittsburgh."

"That’s a good question," Rodríguez said. "It’s been a little [tough] because they’ve really grown fast. They’re smart boys. They compete every day. I just have to follow them, take the best of them and bring it back to the game."