While Henry Davis claims the starting role, veteran catcher Joey Bart sparks a Pittsburgh Pirates' victory.
Very quietly, Henry Davis has become the Pittsburgh Pirates’ primary catcher this season.
Rather than a grand pronouncement about a change in spring training or on opening day, Davis has quietly begun getting more starts behind the plate, a shift that has unfolded naturally as the season progresses.
To highlight the difference, Davis has started 24 times this year, compared to Bart’s 14. Last season, the situation was closer to a timeshare, with Bart starting 76 games and Davis 74.
The primary reason for Davis' rise is his better defensive play and strong rapport with pitchers. Meanwhile, Bart’s reduced playing time stems in part from a drop in home runs, which fell from 13 in 80 games in 2024 to just four in 93 games last season.
Even so, Bart proved on Thursday that he can still have an impact, helping the Pirates to a 4-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. He went 2 for 4 with his second home run of the season. However, his handling of winning pitcher Mitch Keller, who allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, may have been his biggest contribution.
After the Diamondbacks took a 2-1 lead in the third inning, Bart initiated a quick conversation with Keller.
"He was pumping me up, getting me going and locking me back in," Keller told reporters after the game. "Honestly, that’s kind of what I needed. I needed that. Just the positivity he was bringing in between innings; it allowed me to just go out there and have some quick innings."
Keller responded by not allowing a run over his final three innings, retiring 10 straight batters at one point. This performance was pivotal as the Pittsburgh took two of three games in the series and notched their fifth win in six games.
Given that turnaround, what exactly did Bart say to Keller?
"‘Let’s go. Let’s do better,’ in a nice way," Bart said. "That relationship I’ve built with him over time, I kind of understand how to go at him. I expect a lot out of him. He knows that. We expect a ton out of him, and he always gives us a chance. I try to encourage him a little bit, push him a little bit. It worked, so it’s good."
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