Endy Rodriguez is forcing the Pirates into a difficult decision they can't avoid

The Pittsburgh Pirates called up Endy Rodriguez to help fill the void behind the dish while Joey Bart recovered from a foot infection. Now they face a much bigger problem.

Rodriguez continued his torrid start and went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, RBI double, stolen base, three RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday night's 10-6 win over the Houston Astros. Through 13 games, he's hitting .257 (9-for-35) and doing exactly what the Pirates desperately need from the catching position: producing offense.

The more Rodriguez hits, the more difficult it becomes to ignore an uncomfortable reality. If anyone should be worried about losing a roster spot when Bart returns, it may not be Rodriguez. It may not even be Bart himself.

It may be Henry Davis.

That sounds absurd on the surface. Davis was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, and the Pirates have spent years trying to develop Davis into their long-term answer behind the plate. But right now, Rodriguez is producing while Davis simply is not.

Consider the numbers. Rodriguez has 12 walks and nine hits in just 48 plate appearances. Davis has 12 walks and 17 hits in 135 plate appearances. Rodriguez has matched Davis' walk total in less than one-third of the opportunities, and he's already collected more than half as many hits despite receiving less than one-third of the playing time.

The gap becomes even more glaring when looking at batting average. Rodriguez is hitting .257, while Davis is hitting .143. For his career, Davis owns a .174 batting average. At some point, the conversation has to shift from what Davis could become to what he actually is.

Endy Rodriguez's torrid start for Pirates should have Henry Davis looking over his shoulder

This is not to say Davis has no value. In fact, that's what makes this whole situation complicated.

The Pirates genuinely like his defense. Pitch framing metrics have improved. His arm strength remains elite. The coaching staff trusts him behind the plate. There are legitimate reasons the organization continues giving him opportunities.

But there are also legitimate reasons why those opportunities have started disappearing. Even before Bart landed on the injured list, Davis was beginning to lose playing time. The Pirates were already showing signs that he had slipped down the depth chart as they were searching for offense. Now, Rodriguez is giving it to them.

The easy decision when Bart returns will be to simply send Rodriguez back to Triple-A. That's likely still what happens because Davis is out of options, Rodriguez has minor-league flexibility, and organizations are often reluctant to admit defeat on former No. 1 overall picks.

But the easy decision isn't necessarily the right one, and the Pirates should at least consider whether Davis still fits into their long-term plans. Every roster spot matters for a team trying to prove it's a legitimate contender. Carrying a catcher hitting .143 simply because of where he was drafted becomes harder to justify when another catcher is hitting .257 and helping win games.

The Pirates probably won't move on from Davis. Organizations rarely give up on former No. 1 overall picks this quickly, especially when they still provide defensive value. But Rodriguez is making that conversation unavoidable.

And if he keeps hitting like this, the Pirates may soon find themselves facing a question they never expected to ask:

What if Henry Davis isn't the catcher who deserves to stay?

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