Pirates GM calls catcher Endy Rodriguez's elbow injury 'a splash of cold water to the face'

When it comes to Pittsburgh Pirates catchers, Ben Cherington covered the good, the bad and the ugly Sunday on his weekly radio show.

The Pirates general manager focused on the positives when discussing a position of constant change, as injuries that have taken a toll on Joey Bart and Endy Rodriguez opened the door for Henry Davis.

Cherington called Endy Rodriguez going on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation “a splash of cold water to the face,” given that he missed last season after undergoing surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament. Cherington said he expects Rodriguez to be examined by Dr. Neil ElAttrache, who performed the Tommy John surgery.

“We really don’t know if it’s related,” Cherington said on 93.7 FM. “All signs, from what we can right now, this is not about the ligament. The ligament appears stable.”

The timing of Rodriguez’s injury made it even more frustrating, as Joey Bart is on the seven-day concussion injured list since getting hit on a backswing May 27 at Arizona. Cherington said Bart is doing baseball activities but still following concussion protocols and going through a battery of tests before he receives MLB approval to return.

“As you’re doing those tests, you’re in communication with officials from the league to make sure that all boxes are checked before the player is activated,” Cherington said. “There’s another layer of approval with the league, as there should be. He hasn’t been able to quite check every box, even though he feels good and is doing baseball activities. … We’re going to make sure we do before he’s back out there.”

That forced the Pirates to select the contract of 31-year-old Brett Sullivan, who was batting .211 at Triple-A Indianapolis since being acquired from the San Diego Padres on April 16. Cherington complimented Sullivan as a catcher who “calls a good game” and “has a terrific reputation as a pro.”

Those injuries have allowed Davis to get an extended opportunity as a starting catcher. After batting .144 in 37 games with the Pirates last season, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 MLB Draft, was batting .286/.301/.679 with two doubles, three home runs — including the game-winner Saturday — and six RBIs in the eight games since Bart was injured.

Cherington said Davis always has possessed solid bat speed and power and has shown good pitch recognition but, in an effort to get better, might have jumped “down the wrong rabbit hole” and “gotten himself into some stuff that actually got into his way short-term.” Now, after pulling so much early, Davis is using more of the field.

“The one thing that’s always been there with Henry — even with some tougher moments in the last couple years — is that will to get better, that will to succeed. We’re very fortunate. He’s certainly earning his way on this team right now. … There’s always something more we’re going to see in the future. I’m excited to see how that evolution plays out.”