Story by
Pirates Bring Catcher to Main Roster After Placing Endy Rodriguez on Injured List
- Story by
- Pirates Bring Catcher to Main Roster After Placing Endy Rodriguez on Injured List
Pirates Bring Catcher to Main Roster After Placing Endy Rodriguez on Injured List originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh . Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Pirates have added a catcher with eight years of Major League experience to the roster.
Advertisement
Per a club announcement , Christian Bethancourt was promoted to the main roster following Endy Rodriguez's hip surgery.
The Pirates acquired Bethancourt from the Yankees in a mid-August trade. The 35-year-old was eligible to be traded because he hasn't spent any time on a 40-man roster this year.
Across 427 career games, Bethancourt is a .229/.259/.362 hitter with 35 home runs and a .621 OPS.
"Bethancourt was once a top prospect and has long been touted for his rocket arm, but he's had his share of struggles when it comes to blocking and framing," Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors wrote .
Advertisement
The Panama native has spent the entire year at Triple-A with the Cubs and Yankees, hitting .270/.320/.491 with 14 homers in 249 plate appearances.
With Bethancourt, Henry Davis and Rafael Flores Jr. , the Pirates now have three catchers on their roster.
In addition to Bethancourt's call-up, the Pirates recalled left-hander Brandon Eisert from Triple-A Indianapolis.
Endy Rodriguez injury update
Rodriguez was initially placed on the 10-day injured list with left hip inflammation before being officially transferred to the 60-day IL on Sept. 1.
Rodriguez underwent surgery to repair the labrum in his left hip on Aug. 26. He previously missed games in July because of a left glute strain.
Advertisement
How long is Endy Rodriguez out?
Rodriguez will miss the rest of the 2026 season. He can participate in baseball activities in seven to nine months, meaning he will likely miss the start of the 2027 season, too.
Rodriguez had Tommy John surgery in December 2023, not returning to action until March 2025. However, his 2025 season ended early after he underwent a procedure to fix his ulnar nerve.
Endy Rodriguez stats 2026
| Stat |
Value |
|---|---|
| G |
45 |
| AB |
135 |
| H |
36 |
| 2B |
6 |
| HR |
7 |
| RBI |
20 |
| R |
20 |
| BB |
23 |
| SO |
41 |
| BA |
.267 |
| OBP |
.373 |
| SLG |
.467 |
| OPS |
.840 |
