The Pittsburgh Pirates placed catcher Endy Rodriguez (finger) on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday after he exited Monday's contest against the Washington Nationals with a right index-finger laceration that required stitches, sources told MLB.com's Alex Stumpf. In a corresponding move, the Pirates recalled right-hander Chase Shugart from the minors. Shugart threw 3 2/3 scoreless relief innings for the Bucs in his first stint with the team. With Rodriguez now on the IL and Joey Bart still nursing a back injury, Henry Davis got the start behind the dish on Tuesday and went 1-for-3 in the 3-0 loss. The fact that the Pirates didn't call up an additional catcher suggests that Bart is getting close to a return. The 24-year-old switch-hitting Rodriguez started the year 8-for-45 (.178) with no home runs, three doubles and two RBI and will be a backup catcher/first baseman when he returns from the IL.
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez (finger) was forced to exit early during Monday's game against the Washington Nationals. Rodriguez was removed after being hit in the wrist by a deflected ball. Ouch, the Pirates can't afford to lose another catcher with Joey Bart (back) injured as well. The team is calling Rodriguez day-to-day with a right index finger laceration. Henry Davis took over behind the plate on Monday and figures to see more playing time with the team shorthanded at catcher. It doesn't sound like Rodriguez or Bart will require a trip to the injured list.
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher/first baseman Endy Rodriguez is not in the starting lineup on Saturday afternoon against the Miami Marlins. Rodriguez started the first two games of the season at first base. Instead, the Pirates will turn to Jared Triolo to cover first base and will bat seventh. Across his first two games of the season, Rodriguez has gone 0-for-6 with a 2:4 BB:K. Fantasy managers should expect Rodriguez to return to the starting nine on Sunday afternoon, for the final game of the four-game set against the Marlins. Triolo held a .216/.296/.315 slash line across 125 MLB contests last season in Pittsburgh. He went deep 10 times and went deep nine times. Given his offensive inconsistencies, he is not worth targeting in DFS facing Miami right-hander Valente Bellozo.
Endy Rodriguez Expected To Begin Season With Triple-A
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez is expected to begin the season at the Triple-A level. Alex Stumpf of MLB.com noted that the team wants to give Rodriguez at-bats on a daily basis. With Joey Bart slated to be Pittsburgh's primary backstop, Rodriguez will be able to further his development with more playing time in the minor leagues. Last season, Rodriguez was only able to play in 10 minor league games due to an elbow injury. He made his MLB debut during the 2023 season and posted a .220/.284/.328 line with seven doubles and three home runs across 57 contests. He held a 17:49 BB:K. Through 77 career games at Triple-A, the 24-year-old has posted a .285/.362/.450 slash line with 19 doubles and eight home runs. He is worth monitoring in NL-only leagues as he should return to the majors later in 2025.
Endy Rodriguez "Feels Great" Entering Spring Training
According to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com, Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez (elbow) "feels great" heading into spring training. Rodriguez missed most of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery to repair his UCL and flexor tendon in his right elbow. Rodriguez noted that his swing feels "correct" as well. However, fantasy managers should expect him to be eased into action during spring training, as he appeared in just 10 games (all in the minor leagues) last season. In 2023, Rodriguez made his big league debut and posted a .220/.284/.328 line with seven doubles and three home runs. While Joey Bart is likely penciled in as the Opening Day starting catcher, Rodriguez is expected to compete for the No. 2 role with former top prospect Henry Davis during spring training. If Rodriguez makes the Opening Day roster, he could be worth a look in deeper NL-only formats.
Endy Rodriguez Expected To Be "Fully Healthy" For Spring Training
Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said at the MLB winter meetings on Monday that the expectation is that catching prospect Endy Rodriguez (elbow) will be "fully healthy" for the start of spring training in mid-February. Rodriguez was forced to miss all of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery to fix the UCL and flexor tendon in his right elbow in December of 2023, although he did take part in a minor-league rehab assignment in September for Double-A Altoona. The 24-year-old backstop switch-hitting Dominican made his MLB debut in 2023 and slashed .220/.284/.328 with three homers and 13 RBI in 57 games for the Bucs in 57 games. Given all the time he missed last year while recovering from elbow surgery, it would not be a surprise at all to see Rodriguez start in the minors in 2025 while serving as catching depth for Joey Bart and Henry Davis at the big-league level.
Pittsburgh Pirates switch-hitting catcher Endy Rodriguez (elbow) is now hitting live batting practice from the left side, according to director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk. Rodriguez will miss the entire 2024 season after undergoing elbow surgery in December, but it's good to see that the 24-year-old backstop is making progress in his recovery. The Dominican backstop made his big-league debut in 2023 and struggled, slashing .220/.284/.328 with a .612 OPS, three home runs, 13 RBI and 27 runs scored in 57 games played. Former first-rounder Henry Davis (concussion) has been out for a while now with a head injury and has so far been a bust in the big leagues. In the meantime in 2024, Joey Bart and veteran Yasmani Grandal are going to split the catching duties in Pittsburgh moving forward.
Pittsburgh Pirates catchers Yasmani Grandal (foot) and Endy Rodriguez (elbow) are making progress from their respective injuries, while catcher Jason Delay (knee) has been shut down from all baseball activities. Grandal is going to do some baserunning in the coming days and has been participating in simulated games. Rodriguez should start a swinging progression from the left side of the plate next week. The veteran Grandal is working his way back from plantar fasciitis in his left foot but appears to be close to a rehab assignment. When the 35-year-old is ready, he'll split catching duties in Pittsburgh with Henry Davis. Rodriguez, 23, is the team's backstop of the future, but he'll be out until the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Pirates Place Johan Oviedo, Endy Rodriguez On 60-Day Injured List
The Pittsburgh Pirates placed right-hander Johan Oviedo (elbow) and catcher Endy Rodriguez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Wednesday. Oviedo will miss all of the 2024 season after having Tommy John surgery in December. The 25-year-old was inconsistent in his first full season as a starter for the Pirates last year, going 9-14 with a 4.31 ERA (4.49 FIP) and 1.37 WHIP while striking out a career-high 158 batters and walking 83 in 177 2/3 innings over 32 starts. Oviedo won't be back until 2025, and his high walk rate will continue to make him risky in deeper fantasy league. Rodriguez will also miss all of 2024 after having surgery last December to fix the UCL and flexor tendon in his right elbow. The 23-year-old backstop will have some mild post-hype sleeper appeal when he returns in 2025.
Endy Rodriguez To Miss 2024 Season Due To Elbow Surgery
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez (elbow) will miss the 2024 season due to UCL reconstruction surgery on his right elbow and a repair of his right flexor tendon, per MLB.com's Jake Crouse. The Pirates stated that the 23-year-old initially sustained an injury in mid-November during a Dominican winter league with Estrellas Orientales. Rodriguez was one of the team's two catching prospects to join the team in 2023, slashing .220/.284/.328 three home runs and 13 RBI in 204 plate appearances. This is a shame for the Pirates and fantasy managers, as Rodriguez was a top prospect last season. His absence in 2024 may present more opportunity for their other top catching prospect, Henry Davis.
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