This story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf’s Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Mail call! As the Pirates gear up for the final length of the season, I asked on X what questions you have surrounding the ball club. Let’s dive in.

(Note: questions may have been slightly edited for clarity)

Let’s say Henry Davis comes back up and hits well to close out the year. Looks like you’d have Endy Rodríguez, Joey Bart and Davis all at catcher for next year. What do you do? -- @okseanwallace

Honestly, I let things take their course for right now.

Bart has been a great addition to this club and looks like a big leaguer for years to come, hitting .276 with an .866 OPS, and Davis and Rodríguez were hyped for years.

I don’t see any reason to entertain a trade for any of the three. Rodríguez’s and Davis’ values are probably near their lows, and while Bart has been great as a Pirate, he was also designated for assignment by the Giants earlier this year. I can’t imagine his trade value is all too high.

I’m in no rush to make a decision right now. Davis and Rodríguez can be optioned and can play other positions if necessary (right field for Davis, first base for Rodríguez). Davis didn’t get a long look in the Majors after making some swing changes in the Minors (though I would expect he gets another call to the Majors before things wrap up).

Rodríguez also has packed on some muscle this year, and showed it off during his trip to PNC Park earlier this month.

I think this comes down to a competition and a chance for each player to show why they should be the catcher of the future. All have a high ceiling, and I don’t think you can make a decision until you see them in Bradenton, Fla. next year.

Do you think Bubba Chandler gets a spot start or two like Roansy Contreras did in 2021? -- @cuzzinfish

Any chance we see Billy Cook or Nick Yorke before the end of the season? -- @Fenton_rich

Let’s combine these two since we’re not too far away from September and potential callups.

I’m doubtful about Chandler reaching The Show this season. He’s been terrific this year, and if push came to shove, he could probably pitch in the Majors this year. But he also doesn’t have to be added to the 40-man roster until the 2025-26 offseason, and I just don’t see the Pirates adding him to the roster until they need to.

Yorke and Cook are both eligible for the Rule 5 Draft after this season, so they need to be added to the roster this winter anyway or be exposed. I don’t see that happening, since the Pirates gave up two young pitchers to get them, so a September cameo -- for Yorke, especially -- makes sense, seeing how the Pirates gave up Quinn Priester to get him. Yorke is also a former first-round pick.

I also had a few people touch on Braxton Ashcraft. If he’s healthy, I could see a September cameo since he’s already on the roster, but you have to be careful with any forearm injuries. Let’s see how he looks when he returns to a Triple-A mound first.

For the Pirates to compete in 2025, is Oneil Cruz or Isiah Kiner-Falefa your opening day starting SS? (This doesn't mean the loser can't play another position.) -- @BrianO1963

General manager Ben Cherington has spoken in favor of Cruz as a shortstop, saying in his most recent 93.7 The Fan radio show Sunday, “We think Oneil Cruz playing shortstop is to our advantage.”

I can safely say I’ve seen Cruz take more extra practice at shortstop than any Pirate infielder this year. He wants to make this work, but I can’t ignore that I think Kiner-Falefa could be a potential Gold Glove candidate at shortstop, and the Pirates don’t have a true center fielder ready for the 2025 season (unless you believe in a Jack Suwinski bounce back). I’m not saying they’re going to do it, but moving Cruz to center and having Kiner-Falefa at short could address a couple areas of need with internal options.

Cruz also had a really good stretch from May 23 to June 23 where he didn’t make an error. We’ve seen improvement at times, but he’s inconsistent and has been worth -9 defensive runs saved. There’s obviously more value having that bat as a shortstop, but they have a great internal candidate who could make this decision less cut and dry than they had been the past couple years.