The Pirates keep trying Carmen Mlodzinski in the rotation, and the results keep pointing in the same direction.
After another rough start on Aug. 17 against the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park, the right-hander’s case for staying in the rotation looked thinner than ever. Mlodzinski was tagged for eight hits, a two-run homer and four runs in just three innings, another short outing that put the Pirates behind early and forced the bullpen to pick up the slack.
That’s been the story of his latest run as a starter. Pittsburgh put him back in the rotation for the second time this season after Mitch Keller landed on the 60-day injured list with a right arm teres major muscle injury, but Mlodzinski has lost all three starts and has not given the Pirates much room to breathe in any of them.
The damage started with a 6-4 loss to the New York Mets at PNC Park on Aug. 7, when he gave up five runs in three innings. Four of those runs came after a rain delay in the third, and Marcus Semien also took him deep for a three-run homer. Five days later, at loanDepot Park, he was knocked around again by the Miami Marlins, allowing four runs while lasting only 2.1 innings in an 8-2 defeat.
What stands out most is how hard opponents are squaring him up. Mlodzinski is allowing a 53.8% hard-hit rate, a number that would sit among the highest in baseball if it held over a full season.
“I’m sure any time you get hit, for him, for us, don’t want to see that," Pirates manager Don Kelly said following the start vs. the Tigers. "As good as he’s been, his key to success is limiting hard contact. We just need to get back to doing that."
This isn’t the first time Pittsburgh has had to sort out where Mlodzinski fits. He began the season in the rotation for the first two months, then moved back to the bullpen once Jared Jones returned healthy from his surgery. In that stretch as a starter, he posted a 3.76 ERA over nine starts in 11 outings, but the Pirates were never going to keep him there over Jones, who was strong as a rookie in 2024 and isn’t a relief pitcher.
The numbers tell the rest of the story. Mlodzinski has been far better in relief, with a 2.15 ERA over 50.1 innings, compared with a 5.85 ERA over 12 starts and 52.1 innings. His career split says the same thing: 2.55 ERA as a reliever, 5.09 ERA over 29 starts.
Mlodzinski said part of the challenge is seeing hitters more often as a starter, which also played into him losing the rotation job last season. He also pointed out that while his numbers had been similar earlier in the year, these last three starts have done the most damage.
"... I think right now, I’m not looking at it as the role is dictating the results," Mlodzinski said.
"I think it’s taking a deep dive into this stuff and honestly just trying to feel a bit physically better down the stretch. Just keep making quality pitches for sure.”
There is still a path for him to help the Pirates, just not necessarily as a traditional starter. His Aug. 1 relief outing against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park was one of his best of the season, with three scoreless innings and four strikeouts after an hour-and-40-minute rain delay. He did that on just two days of rest.
That kind of work suggests a bulk role could make sense, letting him cover three, four or even five innings without asking him to open the game. And Kelly’s comments made it clear the club is still sorting through the best way to use him.
“I don’t know. It’s something we’re going to continue to talk about and beat up," Kelly said. "With Carmen, he was starting at the beginning, then went to the bullpen and now back in (to where) he’s started these games.
"What we’ve asked and talked to him about is just to continue to do what you’re doing in the ‘pen, not try to go five or six innings. To keep it at three/four and see where it goes. We just need to continue to have conversations.
"He’s been in different roles and has been a huge pitcher for us. Did a really nice job coming out of the ‘pen, so we need to keep beating it up on the best position to put him in.”
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