Just over a month ago, catcher Endy Rodríguez had his biggest chance yet.
And after missing all but 36 professional games over the last two years, turning 26 years old, and in a crowded catching position, one could argue it might have been his last.
Following the injury to Joey Bart back in May, the Pirates recalled Rodríguez to Pittsburgh, slotting him into the tandem with Henry Davis and giving the switch-hitter a chance to produce alongside the plate, not just behind it.
His arrival was coming at a time where the Pirates desperately needed some offense from a woefully underperforming catcher position. Before Rodríguez’s season debut, Davis was slashing an abysmal .151/.263/.256 (.518 OPS) with two home runs and eight RBI through 100 plate appearances.
Bart, meanwhile, was on a hot streak when a foot injury took him down. Through the opening weeks of the year, Bart was nearly equally as poor at the plate; until April 18th, he was slashing .143/.219/.250 (.469 OPS), but went 11-for-30 in his last ten games to spike his batting average to .259 and bring the OPS up to .670.
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