The Pittsburgh Pirates will reactivate catcher Joey Bart from the injured list before Tuesday night’s game in Detroit against the Tigers. To make room for Bart, catcher Brett Sullivan will be returned to Triple-A Indianapolis. The news was reported by Greg Macafee of DK on Pittsburgh Sports.
Following yesterday’s game, we ended the rehab assignment of RHP Dauri Moreta, reinstated him from the 60-day injured list, and optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis.
In addition, C Brett Sullivan was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 16, 2025
Report: Pirates to Reactivate Joey Bart from IL
Bart left the game in Arizona on May 27 after being struck on the head. He was placed on the seven-day concussion IL the next day. At the time, he was hitting .240/.347/.308, 1 HR, and 11 RBI in 44 games. During his rehab assignment at Indianapolis, Bart was 3-for-13 with four bases on balls in five games. He began the season as one of the Pirates’ better hitters, hitting .297/.416/.405 at the end of April. However, his performance took a nosedive in May. Bart hit just .181/.272/.208 for the month. Overall, his 2025 production is a far cry from last year’s .265/.337/.462, 13 HR, and 45 RBI.
In Bart’s absence, former No. 1 draft choice Henry Davis saw the bulk of the action behind the plate and seemed poised to claim the starting job. Davis played well defensively. There were signs that the bat was starting to come alive. Davis flashed his potential during a two-game stretch on June 6-7 when he went 4-for-7 with two home runs and a double. Since then, he’s 2-for-19 in six games. He’s hitting .194/.265/.355, 4 HR, and 10 RBI overall.
Bart Will Start
Once the Pirates reactivate Bart, expect him to resume his position as the starting catcher. At least that was the impression given on Sunday by Pirates assistant general manager Steve Sanders, sitting in for GM Ben Cherington on the latter’s weekly radio show. Sanders stated, “[Bart has] gotten some good at-bats, some time behind the plate, and we’re certainly excited to get him back in the lineup here at the big-league level as soon as he’s ready to play.”
During his brief stay with Pittsburgh, Sullivan was 1-for-6 in three games. If his goal was to demonstrate that he could be a useful defensive catcher, he at least succeeded there.
Main Photo Credit: © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
