Pirates’ Endy Rodríguez decision will reveal how much faith they still have in his future

For a few fleeting weeks in 2026, it looked like the Pittsburgh Pirates were finally getting the version of Endy Rodríguez they'd been waiting years to see.

The former top prospect was hitting for average, drawing walks, showing legitimate power and making a compelling case to become Pittsburgh's everyday catcher. After multiple seasons derailed by injuries, Rodríguez was beginning to look like a legitimate piece of the Pirates' future.

And then, almost inevitably, another injury ended his season.

Now, Pittsburgh faces an uncomfortable offseason decision. Rodríguez is eligible for salary arbitration for the first time, and the Pirates must determine whether his encouraging offensive production is worth another year of uncertainty surrounding his health.

According to MLB Trade Rumors' projections, Rodríguez is expected to earn just $1.2 million in 2027. That's hardly a prohibitive number, even for a notoriously budget-conscious organization like Pittsburgh.

But with Rafael Flores Jr. emerging as a legitimate offensive threat and Henry Davis continuing to provide excellent defense behind the plate, Rodríguez's place in the Pirates' catching plans is considerably less secure than it appeared just a few months ago.

Endy Rodríguez's breakout season ended before Pirates could fully enjoy it

Rodríguez appeared in just 45 games during the 2026 season, but his production was difficult to ignore. The 26-year-old slashed .267/.373/.467 with seven home runs, 20 RBI and an .840 OPS, finally displaying the offensive upside that once made him one of Pittsburgh's most exciting prospects.

He showed improved plate discipline, hit for power and briefly appeared to surpass Davis as the team's preferred starting catcher. Unfortunately, his body once again prevented him from building on that momentum.

Rodríguez missed time in July with a left glute strain before landing on the injured list again in August with hip inflammation. On Aug. 26, he underwent season-ending surgery to repair the labrum in his left hip. The Pirates announced a recovery timeline of seven to nine months before he could resume baseball activities, potentially delaying his 2027 season as well.

This was hardly Rodríguez's first significant medical setback. He underwent Tommy John surgery and a flexor tendon repair in December 2023, costing him the entire 2024 major league season. He returned in 2025, only to undergo another procedure on his right elbow to address an ulnar nerve issue that August.

Add in his latest hip surgery, and Rodríguez has appeared in just 63 major league games over the past three seasons. At some point, the Pirates have to distinguish between a player who has tremendous potential and one they can realistically depend on to contribute.

The frustrating part is that Rodríguez's 2026 performance suggested those two things might finally become one and the same.

Rafael Flores Jr. and Henry Davis complicate Pirates' catching plans

If Rodríguez's injury history were the only concern, the decision would be relatively straightforward. His arbitration projection is low enough that retaining him for another year would represent a reasonable gamble. But Pittsburgh's catching situation changed dramatically during his absence.

Flores, acquired from the New York Yankees in the David Bednar trade, emerged as one of the Pirates' most encouraging offensive developments. In 47 games, Flores slashed .264/.331/.527 with 11 home runs, 25 RBI and an .858 OPS, establishing himself as a legitimate candidate for a substantial role in 2027.

There are still questions about Flores' defense and ability to handle a major league pitching staff consistently. He struggled at times behind the plate, although his throwing improved as the season progressed. Still, the offensive upside is undeniable, especially for a Pirates lineup that desperately needs more power.

Then there's Davis, the former No. 1 overall pick who remains one of the most frustrating players on Pittsburgh's roster. His offensive production has fallen nowhere near the expectations that accompanied his selection in the 2021 MLB Draft.

Davis finished 2026 hitting just .172/.272/.313 with a .585 OPS. Those aren't numbers that should guarantee anybody a starting job, much less a former first overall pick.

Defensively, however, Davis has become genuinely valuable. He finished the season with eight defensive runs saved and emerged as one of baseball's better defensive catchers, particularly when it came to controlling the running game. His familiarity with Paul Skenes and the Pirates' young pitching staff strengthens his case for remaining on the roster.

Suddenly, Pittsburgh has three young catchers with three very different profiles: Flores offers offensive upside, Davis provides defensive stability, and Rodríguez potentially offers the most complete combination of skills — assuming he can ever stay healthy long enough to demonstrate it. And therein lies the dilemma.

Tendering Rodríguez a contract would suggest the organization still believes his offensive breakout was a glimpse of the player he can become, rather than another fleeting moment of promise interrupted by injury. Non-tendering him, on the other hand, would signal that Pittsburgh has finally lost patience with his inability to stay healthy — and perhaps believes Flores and Davis have made him expendable.

For a franchise that has invested years in Rodríguez's development, walking away over a relatively modest arbitration salary would be a damning admission.

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