Pirates just gave Reds the blueprint to fix their messy catcher situation

When Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Joey Bart exited the game on May 27 after taking a backswing to the head, the Buccos may have had a momentary panic. With Endy Rodríguez on the IL, Henry Davis would be the only catcher on the roster, and there isn’t much depth at Triple-A.

This is exactly the situation that the Reds are trying to avoid by keeping Austin Wynns around. Unfortunately, the Cincinnati catching corps lacks a key feature of the Bucs’ backstops: positional flexibility.

When all three catchers are healthy, the Pirates can (and often do) put Rodríguez at first base. That makes Bart the starting catcher and Davis, who was ice cold until mid-May, the backup. Occasionally Bart will slide over to DH, and Davis has the ability, if needed, to man right field as he did in 2024. The Reds have no such options.

The Pirates’ recent catching conundrum is an explanation, but not an excuse, for the Reds’ roster

Instead, the Reds have three players battling for two spots: catcher and DH. That leaves Wynns as an occasional bench bat and severely limits the 26-man roster from a construction standpoint. Thankfully, the answer may also lie in the Pirates’ approach.

Rodríguez was meant to focus mostly on catching this season, but an injury to Spencer Horwitz necessitated a move to first. Similarly, an injury to Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Spencer Steer’s cold start to the season have opened an opportunity at first base. That’s starting to look like a Tyler Stephenson-sized hole.

Stephenson last played the position in 2023, but he has more than 150 innings of big-league experience under his belt. If he were to add playing first to his bag of tricks as he (presumably) enters free agency in 2027, he could increase his value. In the meantime, he would open up a world of options for the Reds.

If, hypothetically, Stephenson began picking up games here and there at first base, even after CES returns from injury, the Reds could justify carrying Wynns on the roster. They could also rid themselves of either of their infield backups, Connor Joe or Garrett Hampson, and search for better bench options at the trade deadline.

It’s rarely the best move to take advice from a team that regularly finishes in the cellar, but in this case, the Reds may want to take a cue from the division-rival Pirates.

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