Analysis: As Pirates Activate Catcher From IL GM’s Comments Disappoint.
On Sunday, Pittsburgh Pirates fans were encouraged by the return of Joey Bart, if not general manager Ben Cherington’s comments. Bart, a right-handed hitting catcher who had been the San Francisco Giants’ No. 1 pick (second overall) in the 2018 June Amateur Draft, had been on the injured list with an injured thumb. A surprising in-season trade acquisition, Bart has been the Pirates’ best-hitting catcher by far in 2024. He’s hitting .250/.342/484 with four HR, 12 RBI, and 134 OPS+ in 23 games.
The Pirates are in dire need of offense. The catcher is one of the positions that has provided little offense this season. Veteran Yasmani Grandal, signed for $2.5 million in the spring, has played 37 games behind the dish. He’s hitting .179/.212/.268, 2 HR, 15 RBI, and 37 OPS+. The other catcher to see significant playing time, Henry Davis, is hitting .153/.267/.235, 1 HR, 5 RBI, and 46 OPS+. Davis is currently on a rehab assignment in Double-A Altoona.
Bart needs to be installed as the primary catcher for the Pirates. It was a good sign when he was thrown into the starting lineup right away on Sunday, despite going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and two hard-hit balls. Bart should get the bulk of the action behind the plate while the Pirates hope he continues to hit as he did before he went on the IL. In light of recent comments by Cherington, Bart had better.
As Pirates Activate Bart, Cherington’s Comments Disappoint
The Pirates’ disappointing offense is something Cherington has to own. Their .227 team batting average is last in the National League. They’re 13th in runs scored and home runs. Besides Grandal, the other free agent hitters added by Cherington before the season were Michael A. Taylor and Rowdy Tellez. Taylor is hitting .191/.244/.248. He carries a strikeout rate of 34.1
percent. The 21 home runs he hit last year for the Minnesota Twins appear to be an anomaly. After starting slowly, Tellez became a hot hitter in June. The Pirates were looking for more than the four homers he’s hit so far. But if the team had a few more hitters, it could live with what Tellez is doing now. Bart has shown he could be one of those hitters the Pirates need.
