Pirates call up mystery weapon in overdue bullpen gamble

The Pittsburgh Pirates are finally taking a swing on upside instead of simply recycling tired bullpen innings.

After another brutal stretch from a relief corps that has completely unraveled over the past two weeks, the Pirates recalled right-hander Brandan Bidois from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday in a move that feels like an overdue gamble on raw stuff.

On the surface, Bidois’ numbers don’t exactly scream “future bullpen savior.” The 24-year-old owns a 7.20 ERA in 15 innings at Triple-A this season, and the walk rate remains concerning. But if the Pirates are finally looking past ERA and betting on underlying traits, this is exactly the type of arm they should be targeting.

Bidois attacks hitters with a fastball averaging 96.5 mph and a sharp slider that’s generated ugly swings throughout the minors. His 32.9% strikeout rate at Indianapolis stands out immediately, but the deeper metrics are even more encouraging. Opponents are averaging just 87.9 mph off the bat against him with a weak 34.2% hard-hit rate, while his 13.8% swinging-strike rate is comfortably above MLB average.

Bidois put the Pirates on notice last season with an absurd streak of 18 consecutive no-hit innings that spanned both Double-A and Triple A, prompting Pittsburgh to add him to the 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft. The inflated ERA this season has been driven in part by a brutal .371 BABIP and inconsistent command, but the Pirates clearly see a power arm capable of missing bats at the major league level.

Given how badly the Pirates' bullpen has struggled lately, that upside matters more than safe mediocrity. Over the previous 14 days heading into Tuesday's matchup against the Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh relievers had posted a disastrous 7.12 ERA while watching their strikeout rate crater. Cam Sanders, who was optioned in the corresponding move, became one of several relievers unable to stop the bleeding.

Bidois now arrives as a mystery weapon with legitimate swing-and-miss stuff and almost nothing left to prove in Triple-A. Whenever he takes the mound for Pittsburgh, it will be his Major League debut.

Maybe the command never fully clicks. Maybe the walks become a problem immediately. But for a Pirates bullpen desperately lacking electricity, this is the exact kind of high-upside gamble they probably should have made weeks ago.

Pirates call-up creates important opportunity for Endy Rodriguez

The Pirates also recalled catcher Endy Rodríguez Tuesday in what feels like more than a simple emergency roster move.

Yes, the immediate reason for his promotion is Joey Bart landing on the injured list with a left foot infection, but for Rodríguez, this could quietly become another chance to reclaim his place in the Pirates’ long-term plans.

The 24-year-old entered 2026 needing to reestablish himself after injuries and inconsistency stalled much of the momentum he built as one of the organization’s top prospects. His overall numbers at Triple-A Indianapolis this season still look underwhelming on paper — a .221 average with just one home run in 113 at-bats — but they don’t fully tell the story of his recent progress.

Rodríguez looked far more comfortable at the plate over the past few weeks, showing improved plate discipline and beginning to resemble the hitter who once looked like a foundational piece for Pittsburgh. The Pirates have desperately needed offensive production from the catcher position, and neither Bart nor Henry Davis has consistently provided it this season.

Even if Rodríguez initially slots in as Davis’ backup, there’s a legitimate opening for him to carve out a larger role if the bat shows signs of life. The Pirates have been searching for answers behind the plate for months, and Rodríguez still offers a switch-hitting profile with defensive versatility that few players on the roster can match.

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