Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday that Rodriguez (elbow) will report to Double-A Altoona on Tuesday to begin a rehab assignment, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Rodriguez has progressed well in his rehab from Tommy John surgery in December, and he'll be able to see game action in the minors after previously being fully ruled out for 2024. The 24-year-old is expected to see most of his playing time at first base and designated hitter, but he'll also see some time behind the plate. Rodriguez still isn't expected to see action with the Pirates before the end of the campaign, but he's setting up to enter the offseason in a strong position heading into 2025.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: Could play in MiLB games in 2024
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Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday "there's a chance" Rodiguez (elbow) plays in minor-league games later this season, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
The 24-year-old won't see the field for the Pirates this season as he makes his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in December, but seeing action in minor-league games would be an encouraging development heading into 2025. Rodriguez will be eased back in behind the plate and will instead see his initial work at first base and designated hitter in order to help him get more at-bats. He was spotted taking grounders in the infield prior to Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks, per Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: Hitting from both sides of plate
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Rodriguez (elbow) has resumed hitting off a tee from the right side of the plate, MLB.com reports.
Rodriguez resumed swinging from the left side of the plate in early July, so this marks another step forward in his recovery. He was originally ruled out for the entire 2024 season, though it's now possible that he will serve as the designated hitter in minor-league games late in the campaign.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: Hitting live BP
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Rodriguez (elbow) has taken live BP from the left side, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Rodriguez underwent elbow surgery in December and is slated to miss the entirety of the 2024 season. He slashed .220/.284/.328 as a rookie last season.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: Making progress in recovery
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Rodriguez (elbow) will begin playing catch soon, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Rodriguez has been rehabbing at the team's facility in Florida and has already been cleared to swing from the left side of the plate. His next steps will be resuming throwing and also swinging from the right side -- with the latter step likely not occurring until late June or early July.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: To begin swinging bat next week
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Rodriguez (elbow) will begin a swinging progression from the left side next week, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
It's the next step in recovery as Rodriguez continues to work his way back from offseason Tommy John surgery. He'll be sidelined until 2025.
The Pirates placed Rodriguez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
The transaction is a procedural move to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for catcher Yasmani Grandal, whom the Pirates signed to a one-year contract. Grandal is projected to slot in as the primary backup to top catcher Henry Davis while Rodriguez is set to miss the entire 2024 season after undergoing surgery in December to repair the UCL and flexor tendon in his right elbow.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: Out all of '24
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Rodriguez underwent surgery to repair the UCL and flexor tendon in his right elbow Tuesday.
Rodriguez injured himself on a swing while playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic on Nov. 13. He's expected to resume baseball activity within 10-12 months, ruling him out for all of next season. With Rodriguez out, Henry Davis will presumably take on a larger share of starts behind the plate, and Jason Delay and Ali Sanchez will be in the running for the backup catcher spot.
Rodriguez is out of the lineup Thursday against the Phillies.
Jason Delay will catch and bat ninth for the visiting Pirates. Rodriguez started behind the plate in the first two games of the three-game series and went 0-for-7 with a walk and two strikeouts.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: Receives Sunday off
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Rodriguez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game at Cincinnati, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Rodriguez started the past three games and will receive a breather for Sunday's series finale. Jason Delay will take over behind the plate and bat ninth.
Rodriguez went 1-for-5 with a solo home run Friday against the Reds.
Rodriguez popped a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning, the third long ball of his career. He's struggled considerably across his last 10 starts, managing only a .167 batting average with three RBI and four runs scored. Positively, he's struck out at only a 20 percent clip in that span, so he could turn things around prior to the close of the regular season.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: On bench versus lefty
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Rodriguez is out of the lineup Wednesday versus the Cubs.
Jason Delay will start behind the plate and bat ninth as the Pirates take on ace left-hander Justin Steele. The switch-hitting Rodriguez has gone 7-for-47 (.149) with zero extra-base hits this year against southpaws.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: Receives Sunday off
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Rodriguez is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Rodriguez started the first two games of the series versus New York, and he'll take a seat for the finale after going 1-for-5 with an RBI and two walks. Jason Delay will step in behind the plate and bat ninth.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: Absent from lineup
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Rodriguez is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against the Nationals.
Rodriguez started each of the previous three games behind the plate, so he'll be off for Thursday's afternoon contest. Jason Delay will do the catching for Mitch Keller.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: Receives breather Sunday
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Rodriguez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game in Atlanta, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Rodriguez went 1-for-9 with an RBI and a run over the first two games of the series in Atlanta, and he'll take a seat for the finale. Jason Delay will step in behind the plate and bat ninth.
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Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: Sitting out Wednesday
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Rodriguez is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Brewers, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
It's an afternoon game following Tuesday night's loss to the Brew Crew, so Rodriguez will get a breather. Jason Delay will do the catching for opener Colin Selby.
