Endy Rodriguez Recalled as Joey Bart Hits 10-Day IL
endy rodriguez was recalled Tuesday as Joey Bart went on the 10-day injured list with a foot infection. Bart’s return has no timetable, leaving the Pirates to manage a catcher who had been batting.400 over his last six games.
Joey Bart at PNC Park
Bart, 29, is in his third season with the Pirates and was moved off the active roster after noticing discoloration and swelling in his foot before telling head athletic trainer Luke Novosel. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Thursday at PNC Park that the issue did not come from an in-game occurrence.
Tomczyk also said the club is still waiting on Bart’s response to the initial doses of IV antibiotics. He called the return timeline “Still to be determined” and added, “See how the body responds, see how the body responds to the initial doses of IV antibiotics and learn more. Hopefully it’s sooner than later, but too soon to even make a projection right now.”
Bart’s recent production
The move comes after Bart had posted a.259/.290/.379 slash line with two home runs and six RBIs over 21 games. The late uptick at the plate sharpened the blow for Pittsburgh, because he was batting.400 over his last six games when the injury list move came down Tuesday.
That stretch gave the Pirates a cleaner look at what they lose behind the plate while they wait for the infection to clear. Bart had not just been available; he had been producing enough to make the roster shift more than a routine shuffle.
Pirates injury picture
The catcher update landed alongside a broader set of health notes for Pittsburgh. Jake Mangum, out since May 8 with a hamstring strain, has resumed all baseball activities and is expected to ramp up his running in the coming days. Chris Devenski, who has dealt with an undisclosed illness and carried a 7.71 ERA in three appearances with the Pirates, has also resumed all baseball activities and threw a bullpen the day before Tomczyk spoke.
For the organization, Bart’s status is the one that moves the lineup most immediately. Endy Rodriguez is back in the mix because the Pirates need another option while Bart waits on how his foot responds to treatment, and the next step depends on the body, not the calendar.
