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PITTSBURGH — For the first time since late May, Carmen Mlodzinski was back on the mound for the Pirates as a starting pitcher.
Mlodzinski broke camp in the rotation but was shifted to the bullpen once Jared Jones returned from the injured list. But with Mitch Keller’s season-ending placement on the 60-day IL, the Pirates needed Mlodzinski’s services back in the starting rotation.
“I had an idea that I would be taking on at least a fair chunk of innings, three or four innings,” Mlodzinski said after his 10th start of the season. “They told me that three days ago or so in MIlwaukee. Just seeing how they series played out, they confirmed with me yesterday that I’d be starting.”
His return to the rotation wasn’t what he was hoping for. The right-hander took the loss after allowing five runs in three innings as the Mets defeated the Pirates 6-4 at PNC Park on Friday night. The loss extended Pittsburgh’s losing streak to four games and pushed them to four games under .500 with a 57-61 record.
Mlodzinski allowed a first-inning run and rebounded for a 1-2-3 second. In the middle of his at-bat against Mets leadoff hitter A.J. Ewing to begin the third, the grounds crew pulled the tarp onto the field. Rain forced a 36-minute delay, but Mlodzinski returned to the mound to pick up where he left off.
It didn’t go well as the Mets struck for four runs, all with two outs. Carson Benge delivered an RBI single, and two batters later, Marcus Semien connected on a two-run homer to left to put New York ahead 5-0.
“Definitely not my best baseball today,” said Mlodzinski. “I gotta take accountability for it. I definitely needed to step up today and we needed to win today and I wasn’t able to do it.”
Manager Don Kelly said after the game that they talked about going to a different pitcher, but felt Mlodzinski was in a good spot to keep going.
The Pirates have no set plan on how they will fill Keller’s spot in the rotation moving forward. Although Mlodzinski struggled in his first appearance back as a starter, the logical move would be for him to continue in that role.
“I think it’s going to be day by day,” he said on the plan moving forward.
It has been over two months since Mlodzinski last pitched four innings, and it will take time to ramp him back up to a full-starter’s workload. But that should be the Pirates’ plan. It’s the one that makes the most sense.
“I think what they’re looking at from me is just probably four to five innings,” he explained. “I think today probably a good goal is going to be to try to get through four. I don’t think getting to six was going to be realistic today, or even five probably. So I think the build-up, just from what I’ve seen in the past about how they handle, maybe something like this would be maybe stack an inning each outing.”
Mlodzinski has been much more effective as a reliever than as a starter this season. In 10 starts, he has a 4.98 ERA. In 16 relief appearances, that number is 2.15.
In an ideal world, Mlodzinski would continue to pitch in the bullpen. It’s a role he’s thrived in throughout his big-league career.
But with Keller out, no addition made at the deadline, and no viable options currently with Triple-A Indianapolis, the Pirates’ best bet is stretching Mlodzinski out as a starter once again. It might not be the perfect option, but it’s the right one.
The post Pirates’ Best Option in Keller’s Absence Isn’t Ideal but Is Obvious appeared first on Pittsburgh Baseball Now.
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