The Pittsburgh Pirates have amassed quite a collection of young talent over the course of their recent rebuild, with one of their more promising prospects being Endy Rodriguez. Rodroguez broke in with the Pirates last season for 57 games, and the hope was that he would become a crucial piece of their lineup in the 2024 campaign.
Unfortunately, those hopes have been hit with a crushing update early on in the MLB offseason. Rodriguez, who was playing winter ball in his native Dominican Republic, suffered an elbow injury while swinging at a pitch during an at-bat, and further tests revealed that he would require surgery on his UCL that will hold him out for the entire 2024 season.
Via Pittsburgh Pirates:
“On November 13, while playing in a Winter Ball game in the Dominican Republic, Endy Rodriguez injured himself during an at-bat while swinging. After multiple examinations, Endy had reconstructive surgery on the UCL and a repair of the flexor tendon earlier today. He is expected to return to baseball activity in 10 to 12 months. As a result, he will miss the entire 2024 season.”
Rodriguez didn't play all that well during his initial stint in the majors (.220 BA, 3 HR, 13 RBI, .612 OPS), but there was hope in Pittsburgh that he could become their everyday catcher as soon as this upcoming season if everything went according to plan. Well, it didn't take long for that plan to get derailed, and Rodriguez will have to wait quite a while before he returns to the field. This is a tough blow for the talented youngster, and the Pirates may be in the market for a new catcher as a result of this update on Rodriguez.
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