Joey Bart trade buzz is heating up as Pirates await his return

Joey Bart is getting closer to returning to the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the real question now is whether there will still be a roster spot waiting for him when he gets back.

Bart is working his way back from a left foot infection that landed him on the injured list in May, with his rehab assignment beginning in Bradenton before being transferred to Triple-A Indianapolis on June 12. His return timeline is still TBD, but the move to Indianapolis is a pretty clear sign that Bart is getting close.

That should be good news for the Pirates. Bart has been a useful player for them, and catching depth is not exactly something most teams can afford to dismiss. But his pending return also forces Pittsburgh into a decision that has become more complicated than expected.

Jim Bowden names Pirates catcher Joey Bart as potential Yankees trade target

Endy Rodríguez has more than earned his spot. Since being called up in Bart’s absence, he has given the Pirates the kind of offensive production and plate discipline they have desperately needed from the position.

Henry Davis, meanwhile, remains the uncomfortable part of the equation. The Pirates have continued to give him runway despite offensive numbers that have made every plate appearance feel like a test of patience. The former No. 1 overall pick still has pedigree, and the organization clearly is not ready to give up on him. But if Rodríguez has played his way into a role and Davis is still being protected, Bart suddenly becomes the catcher without a clean path back into regular playing time.

That's where Jim Bowden’s latest mailbag at The Athletic (subscription required) becomes interesting. In discussing the New York Yankees’ need for a right-handed hitting catcher, Bowden listed Bart among the more realistic options who could be available. The Yankees are certainly not the only contender that could talk itself into catching help, and Bart’s combination of MLB experience, right-handed power potential and remaining club control gives him more value than the Pirates might want to admit.

To be clear, that doesn't mean Pittsburgh should be eager to move Bart. Trading from a position of actual depth is one thing, but trading away a useful catcher because the roster got awkward is another. The Pirates shouldn't be in the business of solving other teams’ problems unless they are getting something that directly addresses one of their own (the bullpen, perhaps?).

Either way, Bart's impending return is creating a roster-pressure point. If the Pirates believe Rodríguez has passed him, and if they remain committed to Davis, they have to at least listen.

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