Why Did the Pirates Trade for Joey Bart?

Joey Bart is a Pittsburgh Pirate. Tuesday’s out-of-left-field trade for catcher Bart immediately led to speculation as to why. Are the Pirates dissatisfied with Henry Davis behind the plate? Will Davis be moved to the outfield again? Or is Davis going to the minors to work on his catching skills some more? Will Bart be converted to an outfielder or first baseman? Will either Davis or Bart be the full-time designated hitter? Is Yasmani Grandal on his way out?

The answer: None of the above, for now. The Pirates had to place backup catcher Jason Delay on the injured list with right knee inflammation. Delay joined Grandal and Endy Rodriguez on the injured list, meaning the Pirates had more major league catchers on the IL than they had major league-ready catchers in the minor leagues. The Pirates hoped that Alí Sánchez, a late cut in the spring, would stick around as organizational depth at catcher. But Sanchez elected free agency instead. General manager Ben Cherington had to act quickly to get another catcher in uniform Wednesday night in Washington. Hence the call to the San Francisco Giants and the trade for the young catcher Bart.

All Cherington gave up was minor league pitcher Austin Strickland, who has yet to pitch professionally at any level. The Giants were all too happy to unload an unproductive catcher who no longer fit in with their plans. Meanwhile, Cherington, besides getting the catching help desperately needed, gets a former top prospect into the organization. If the Pirates can unlock the potential that it was once believed Bart possessed, fine. If not, he’ll adequately fill an immediate need.

Breaking Down the Joey Bart Trade

Is Three a Crowd?

It’s crystal clear that Davis will remain the Pirates’ number one catcher. He was in the lineup on Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon. Bart was acquired in the trade for the purpose of filling Delay’s role as the backup catcher.

As for how long of an opportunity Bart will get with the Pirates, let’s do some speculation of our own. It may depend on how long the other catchers stay on the IL. We already know that Rodriguez is out for the season due to elbow surgery. Grandal has been out with plantar fasciitis since spring training. The recovery from that can take weeks or months, and there’s always a possibility of a recurrence. There’s been no word yet on the severity of Delay’s injury. If Delay is only on the IL for the 10 days, he can be optioned to Triple-A if the Pirates decide they want a longer look at Bart.

If Bart performs well, then once Grandal returns from the IL, the Pirates will have a pleasant problem on their hands. The 12-year veteran Grandal was signed as a free agent for $2.5 million. Bart is out of minor league options, meaning he can’t be sent to the minors without first passing through waivers. The fact that Cherington saw fit to give up a player to get him, rather than wait to make a waiver claim, indicates some interest in Bart on the part of other teams. He may not make it through waivers if the Pirates try to send him down.