Henry Davis gave the Pirates exactly what they needed on Sept. 6, and it came with a reminder that his value in Pittsburgh still runs well beyond the box score.
Davis’ solo shot against the Los Angeles Angels ended up being the difference in a 1-0 win at PNC Park, a clean line-drive swing that stayed fair to left field and disappeared into the bleachers at 100.1 mph and 364 feet. It was his ninth home run, and his first since July 12.
For a player the Pirates took first overall in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Louisville, the power has always been part of the attraction. But the production has never fully matched the profile.
Through 275 games, Davis is batting .177/.263/.297 with an OPS of .560, and he has hit .169/.266/.304 with a .570 OPS in 89 games this season. Among hitters with at least 250 plate appearances, he also sits near the bottom of the league in several major categories, including batting average, OPS, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
That’s why the adjustments he’s making matter. Davis said after the game that he’s been working on activating his back leg and finding a way to do it while still handling the grind of catching every day.
"Just some back leg stuff," Davis said. "Think sometimes - obviously, I haven't hit well since I started catching, and when I started catching well, I started doing right knee down.
It really fatigues your back leg, which obviously as a hitter, you want to get started and be able to hold it. So I'm trying some different things to be able to activate it before I get up in the box, and I feel like it's really helped me.
He also said the process has been about more than one fix. Davis has been talking through the issue with the coaching staff, and he specifically pointed to manager Don Kelly as someone he’s leaned on while searching for answers. The back leg and hip activation has become the main focus.
"I don't know. I feel like the last couple years I feel pretty good before the game with my work, and then it doesn't really click in the game oftentimes, and sometimes it does," Davis said. "And then I had a conversation with DK about how, when I go into the game, I just kind of rake.
"Like if I'm randomly put in the game or somebody comes out from an injury, I've had really good numbers. That started the curiosity train there, and I feel like if there's certain things I can do to help activate my back hip as I'm going in, I need to do it."
The homer wasn’t his only strong swing of the night. Davis also drove a ball to the right field wall in the sixth inning, but Angels right fielder Wade Meckler made a strong catch to take away extra bases.
Even with the bat still a work in progress, Davis continues to stand out on the other side of the ball. He is one of baseball’s best defensive catchers, with four stolen bases runs saved and nine defensive runs saved, marks that rank tied for most and fourth-most among catchers with at least 650 innings played in 2026.
He came through on one of the biggest defensive moments of the game, too. In the fifth inning, Davis handled the relay from center fielder Oneil Cruz to second baseman Brandon Lowe and tagged out Angels shortstop Zach Neto at the plate to preserve the shutout.
Pirates starter Paul Skenes, who has Davis as his personal catcher, had a front-row view of the play and admitted he left his own responsibilities behind.
“It was a pretty good play," Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes said. "I’m going to be on some videos about what not to do as a pitcher.
You’re supposed to back up home plate there. Truthfully, I wasn’t really expecting him to go home.
Really nice play by them.”
In Other News...
Pirates Closing In On Two Veteran Returns At The Perfect Time
The Pirates are getting close to some much-needed reinforcements as the season enters its stretch run. Ryan OHearn is expected to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis while working back from a left quad strain, a sign that his return to Pittsburghs lineup is drawing nearer. For a club trying to stay steady late in the year, getting a veteran bat back on the active roster would be a timely boost.
There is also optimism around the bullpen, where general manager Ben Cherington said Kirby Yates could be back from the injured list around September 15 after a right shoulder impingement. Yates has been one of the more important veteran arms for Pittsburgh this season, and his return would help deepen a relief group that can use every reliable inning it can get. The only question now is whether both players can make it through their final steps cleanly and arrive when the Pirates need them most. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Need To Give Don Kelly More Dugout Help This Winter
Don Kelly is wrapping up his second season as manager, and the Pirates broad direction in the dugout has started to look like part of the long-term conversation, not just a matter of filling seats. Kelly remains relatively young for the job, and in a clubhouse built around an inexperienced roster, the value of having a steady hand beside him has only become more apparent as the organization thinks ahead to 2027.
Kristopher Negrn has been in the bench coach chair, but his own major league background is limited, which is why the winter could bring a closer look at veteran help. The Pirates do not need to remake the staff, but there is a case for giving Kelly a more seasoned sounding board, especially if the front office wants to tap local coaching talent and add some extra gravitas to a young dugout. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Bullpen Is Suddenly Waiting On One Crucial Return
Kirby Yates has quickly become one of the more important bullpen pieces the Pirates added at the trade deadline, so his move to the 15-day injured list landed as a notable setback. The right-hander was placed there retroactive to Aug. 31 because of a right shoulder impingement, just weeks after Pittsburgh acquired him from the Angels on Aug. 4 and watched him post a 2.19 ERA across 13 appearances.
General manager Ben Cherington said Yates is expected back around his eligibility date of Sept. 15, which gives the Pirates at least some reason to believe the injury will be a short detour. For a bullpen that was counting on Yates to stabilize late innings, the real issue now is how long it can bridge the gap and whether he returns looking like the same arm Pittsburgh thought it had just added. [Read more 🡒]