The Pirates have pulled Carmen Mlodzinski from their rotation and shifted him to the bullpen, turning a starter into a late-inning option as Pittsburgh reshapes its staff. He is expected to work high-leverage innings unless he pushes back, a move that leaves the door open for him to start again later in the season.
The timing matters because the Pirates are sorting out their major league rotation while evaluating Jared Jones and Bubba Chandler, and Mlodzinski’s change comes with those decisions still unfolding. Jones, who returned to the majors on Friday night, gave up five runs even while throwing a burst of 100 mph-plus fastballs and getting 15 swings and misses, a reminder that Pittsburgh is still searching for stability on the mound.
Mlodzinski had enough as a starter to make this a real pivot, not a punishment. He went 4-3 with a 3.76 ERA in that role, but within the past month he stumbled through a three-game stretch in which he allowed 19 hits and 15 runs in 13 2/3 innings. That rough patch is the clearest reason the Pirates decided to change his lane now.
He said he is still talking it through with the organization and the people around him, including his family and his agency, about what comes next. Mlodzinski has publicly scoffed at the idea of becoming a reliever, so the move does not just alter the Pirates’ pitching plans; it also puts his preferences in conflict with the role the club wants him to fill. In modern baseball, bullpen innings matter, and Pittsburgh believes he can help a relief corps that needs it.
For now, the Pirates seem to be treating this as a flexible solution rather than a final verdict. Mlodzinski remains on the team and is likely to start several games over the next four months, but his immediate value is in the bullpen, where the club wants him available for the biggest outs. Whether he accepts that path or eventually asks for a different one is the question hanging over the move.
