Spring training is in full swing, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are starting to shape up their pitching rotation for the upcoming season. The decisions on Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler were straightforward for the Pirates' front office and coaching staff. Skenes, coming off a stellar season where he snagged the NL Cy Young Award, and Chandler, one of the brightest young talents on the mound, were no-brainers.
Joining them in the rotation are Mitch Keller, Braxton Ashcraft, and Carmen Mlodzinski. Mlodzinski, at 27, is looking to build on his 2025 season where he made 12 starts in 34 appearances, showing promise and potential.
As for the bullpen, Jose Urquidy and Hunter Barco are set to kick off the season there. This decision left a veteran pitcher, who was in camp as a non-roster invitee, on the outside looking in.
Mike Clevinger, a former fourth-round pick, will begin his season at Triple-A. After signing a minor league deal with the Pirates in February, Clevinger's spring performance left something to be desired. In 14.1 innings, he gave up eight earned runs on 10 hits, striking out 15 but struggling with control, issuing 10 walks.
Looking ahead, Jared Jones is expected to return from internal brace surgery in the coming months, which will likely shake up the rotation further. For Clevinger, the path to contributing at the Major League level may come through a long relief role out of the bullpen.