DETROIT — Joey Bart didn’t anticipate it to take so lengthy to return from a concussion after being clipped by a backswing, however 20 days after the damage, the Pirates catcher was again within the lineup Tuesday. His bat was missed, however you simply can’t rush a head damage.
“On the finish of the day, these are issues you have to watch out with, and go away it as much as the docs and the league and everyone,” Bart stated. “Simply glad I can get again out right here on the sector and get going.”
Bart’s return was a plus for the Pirates in the long term, however he didn’t assist a lot Tuesday. Pittsburgh jumped out to an early lead, however the bats sizzled out earlier than Carmen Mlodzinski allowed a pair of homers late, leading to a 7-3 loss to the Tigers at Comerica Park.
After Pittsburgh’s forty fifth lack of the season, one eye virtually has to look towards the long run and the way a few of these gamers match into the Pirates’ imaginative and prescient. On the offensive facet, catcher is likely to be the place most in want of readability.
The Pirates got here into this season with 4 catchers on the roster. Jason Delay has since been traded, leaving simply the three most evident candidates for the catcher of the long run: Bart, Henry Davis and Endy Rodríguez. That trio would possibly actually simply be a duo for the remainder of 2025.
Rodríguez will obtain a PRP injection this week after which relaxation for 4 weeks to attempt to quell his proper elbow irritation. After that, he’ll have to construct again up earlier than he goes on a rehab project, so there’s an opportunity he won’t have sufficient days on the calendar to return. On condition that he missed all of 2024 (save for a number of Minor League video games) and greater than a month with a proper index finger laceration, having solely 57 plate appearances in 2025 would make this a really tough two seasons for Rodríguez’s improvement.
“[We’re] assured he’s going to get again as quickly as he can,” assistant normal supervisor Steve Sanders stated Sunday on 93.7 The Fan. “So far as the yr, I might by no means need to mission that far out. We’re definitely not ruling something out. Our purpose and Endy’s purpose is to get wholesome and get again as quickly as attainable. Definitely hopeful that’s in some unspecified time in the future this yr, however finally, we’ll do no matter’s greatest for Endy.”
Being with out Rodríguez implies that Bart and Davis are going to take middle stage. That division of labor won’t be as clear-cut because it was at first of the season, when Bart was the clear starter and both Rodríguez or Davis the backup.
Credit score a part of that to Davis, who has swung the bat higher of late. He’s nonetheless a piece in progress, however he slashed .213/.260/.468 with three house runs within the 14 video games he performed after Bart took the backswing to the pinnacle. These outcomes got here with a caveat of 14 strikeouts over 51 plate appearances, however lastly getting some constant runway as a starter appeared to have constructive results on Davis’ recreation.
“Henry did an amazing job when Joey was out,” supervisor Don Kelly stated. “It’s going to be fluid. We’ve received this sequence mapped out, however so far as it continues to go, it’s going to be a fluid scenario. We’re going to see how they’re each doing and simply flow there recreation by recreation.”
A part of the equation can be that Bart hasn’t produced as a lot offensively as he did final season. His on-base proportion has held regular, however his slugging clip has gone from .462 to .302. After homering 13 occasions in 80 video games in 2024, he has gone deep simply as soon as in ’25.
The arrogance is there, however Bart was anticipated to be a giant a part of this offense that has struggled to attain runs all season.
“Clearly accidents do not assist with stuff like that,” Bart stated. “Undergo good stretches, dangerous stretches, simply gotta keep the course. Preserve working, hold exhibiting up on a regular basis working, the outcomes will come.”
Time will inform if both catcher will take the reins and run with the job, however Davis at the least has slightly extra cushion since he can nonetheless be optioned and has extra workforce management. Bart solely has two arbitration years remaining. A robust second half would go an extended strategy to reestablishing the place he ranks behind the plate.
