Mlodzinski could be secret ingredient in Bucs' bullpen

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- It was about this time a year ago that Carmen Mlodzinski was told that he would be moving from being a starter to the bullpen. His stuff did not translate the way the team had hoped for in his rise through the Minors, so the Pirates decided to deploy their 31st overall Draft pick from 2020 differently.

It’s hard to argue with the results. In his first taste of the Majors, Mlodzinski posted a 2.25 ERA and 34 strikeouts over 36 innings. And unlike many young relievers, once Mlodzinski was promoted to the Majors, he stayed there, earning some leverage spots and a save at the end of the season.

Normally, a reliever like that would move into a high-leverage spot the next year, like David Bednar did in 2022. However, Mlodzinski’s role in this year’s bullpen appears to be fluid at the moment.

“I don’t have an idea,” Mlodzinski said. “The idea that I do have, though, is that it’s just getting outs. Whatever role the team and the organization wants me to fill, I’ll be ready to take it.

“We do have a pretty deep bullpen from what I understand. I think it’s going to be cool being able to work around those guys.”

Mlodzinski is a bit of a spoil of riches in what could be one of the stronger bullpens in the National League. There are some question marks currently with Bednar, who is experiencing right lat tightness, and Dauri Moreta, who is having his elbow examined after exiting early in his outing Sunday. Bednar does not seem too concerned about the severity of his injury, and the Pirates certainly need their two-time All-Star closer.

But the bridge to Bednar is more solid than it has been in years past. Aroldis Chapman was picked up on a one-year deal this winter. Colin Holderman spent much of last year as the primary setup man and should remain a leverage reliever. Ryan Borucki is a lefty specialist who led all pitchers in WHIP last year (min. 30 innings pitched). Mix in some young, optionable hurlers, and the Pirates are counting on big things from their bullpen.

The same goes for Mlodzinski, who did a little of everything last year. Low-leverage spots, high-leverage spots, opener, closer, multi-inning arm and just about everything in between. It was a far cry from being a starter, but he impressed, which is why he kept getting higher-leverage spots.

“I think we're just seeing the evolution of his pitches,” manager Derek Shelton said. “His pitch mix, how he's going to use them, kind of paring that down from when he was a starter and feeling like he had to pitch deeper in games and just getting the actual outs we're asking him to get."

If the Pirates want Mlodzinski to lean into a higher-leverage role, he has the stuff to do it. All four of his pitches had a whiff percentage over 20% last season (four-seamer, sweeper, cutter and changeup), partially because there was balance between his offerings. He was consistently able to place his four-seamer in the top part of the zone last year, which his sweeper and cutter could tunnel off of.

It’s an arsenal that could really play anywhere out of relief, and given the depth of the bullpen, Mlodzinski is likely going to bounce around in different spots depending on how rested other relievers are and what matchups are presented.

“It makes decisions that are made on who’s going to go into the game a little bit easier, just because we have so much versatility back there, so many different arm angles and so many different pitches that you can kind of pick and choose which guy you want,” Mlodzinski said. “You can play matchups really well.”

The one certainty is that Mlodzinski has the confidence for those leverage spots. He also has a desire to learn, not just from the All-Stars like Bednar and Chapman, but from other players who have gone through struggles. He’s been in their shoes, too, while transitioning to the bullpen. He’s working to keep it a successful move.

“Nobody in here can say they’re the exact same player as when they started their career,” Mlodzinski said. “Seeing how they evolve and the different things they do is definitely special.”