Pittsburgh Pirates Have Questions to Answer at Catcher

The Pittsburgh Pirates will have a very interesting decision likely coming up very soon.

What was a point of strength for the Pittsburgh Pirates has now become a huge question mark. What should the club do at catcher behind Francisco Cervelli?

Normal backup Chris Stewart is working through a rehab assignment that could see him rejoin the big league club soon. That would leave current backup Eric Fryer in limbo and it also brings up the question of Elias Diaz’s talents possibly be wasted in Triple-A.

What can Stew Bring?

With rosters expanding September 1, Diaz will almost certainly be called up as a third catcher, but what should the PIrates do with Fryer and Stewart? The team almost certainly won’t roster four catchers in September, so someone is the odd guy odd. In Stewart, the club knows what they are going to get.

He will catch a professional nine innings and occasionally will help the team with the bat. It is also fair to wonder if manager Clint Hurdle will look to recapture the solid performances from Gerrit Cole when Stewart serves as his de facto personal catcher.

While he is only hitting .198 with a .579 OPS on the season, Stewart is signed through next year so he isn’t going anywhere. Barring a setback on his rehab assignment, Stewart will be the team’s primary backup down the stretch.

The Weak Case For Fryer

Some may want to make a case for Fryer, but even though he has done some positive things, he is, and should be, the odd-man out. That is fine though as he hasn’t helped his cause much. Fryer has been serviceable but is also hitting just .191 with a .512 OPS in 54 plate appearances as a Pirate. He also has thrown out just 2-of-16 potential base stealers.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”#000000″ class=”” size=””]Diaz has waited his turn to this point. He is likely going to have to wait a little longer.[/perfectpullquote]

The only real question is how Diaz fits into the mix not only this season, but next season as well. Once September rolls around, it is very doubtful that Diaz will see much time behind the plate barring injury or long extra-inning games.  He likely becomes a bat off the bench and nothing more.

However, if Stewart isn’t 100 percent healthy, you could see Pirates manage Clint Hurdle turn to Diaz some down the stretch and that may not be the worst thing in the world.

Already a solid minor-league defense catcher, how Diaz adjusts to handling a major-league pitching staff during a September playoff chase could be something that keeps him on the bench or in the lineup for big games.

If Diaz can work his way into some playing time down the stretch, he is someone to keep an eye on as the upside is there. That especially rings true after he hit .307 in three minor league stops this season.

Will Diaz Still Have to Wait?

Whatever role a guy like Diaz sees down the stretch remains to be seen, but one thing is certain. Hurdle is going to have to figure out his catching situation for the stretch run as every game the rest of the way for the Pittsburgh Pirates is a big one.

Diaz has waited his turn to this point. He is likely going to have to wait a little longer. For a team that seems to be clicking at the right time, turning to a rookie catcher in September could be a little risky.

The Pittsburgh Pirates will likely have to re-visit the Diaz situation again in the offseason and spring training as another year in Triple-A may seem pointless. But for now, the smart money though would be on Stewart, as long as he is healthy, regaining his role as the Pirates No. 2 catcher.

Featured Image Credit – Daniel Decker