Mlodzinski Making Case For Pirates Starting Rotation

Carmen Mlodzinski is a pitching gift who should serve the Pittsburgh Pirates staff well in 2026.

The Pirates’ regular season opener is coming up fast. After Tuesday’s final spring training game on the Grapefruit League schedule at LECOM Park with the Atlanta Braves, manager Don Kelley and his 26-man roster will fly to New York. A workout on Wednesday at Citi Field, then on Thursday, the first of the 162-game schedule begins on the road with the New York Mets.

Somewhere between the Pirates-Mets opener and the final game on the schedule in Detroit on September 27, Mlodzinski has hopes of being busy, eating innings. Whether coming into games in long relief or being called on for a spot start occasionally, Mlodzinski will be ready for the task.

As of now, Kelly and Pirates pitching coach Bill Murphy likely will go with Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Braxton Ashcraft, and Bubba Chandler for their starting rotation. If Pittsburgh goes to a five-man rotation, Mlodzinski and Jose Urquidy are the two leading candidates for that role.

Whatever role Mlodzinski settles in, which could change for a number of reasons at any time, the flexibility that he affords the coaching staff increases his value to the club. His start Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles at LECOM Park, one that would last five innings, Mlodzinski says, wasn’t his best of the spring, but one that he came away with several learning points to build on.

The official line for Mlodzinski: 7 hits, two earned runs, and five strikeouts. He would be the first of six pitchers called upon in the afternoon. Pittsburgh’s 8-6 victory would be the sixth in their last seven games. In the box score, Mlodzinski, 27, may have appeared to have had a rough outing, but listening to the pitcher himself review his performance, you get a different angle.

“Today was a good outing. I think there are adjustments to be made. That actually happened on the field today, which is good,” Mlodzinski told reporters in the Pirates clubhouse after being removed from the game. “That was something that I struggled with last year. I made adjustments, and that kept the pitch count down.”

With talk of Pirates general manager Ben Cherington still looking to acquire a veteran starting pitcher, along with Urquidy last month agreeing to a one-year, $1.5 million deal, Mlodzinski’s appearances through the rest of the Grapefruit League schedule could determine his role for the immediate future.

Along with Kelly, Murphy, and the rest of the Pirates’ pitching think tank, Mlodzinski, who debuted with Pittsburgh in 2023, offers honest assessments of his performances. Giving up a home run to Orioles’ catcher Adley Rutschman didn’t seem to rattle Mlodzinski’s game plan.

“I think that’s what they want from me this year,” Mlodzinski explains. “Making quicker adjustments during the game and using my eyes a little to pitch. Obviously, giving up seven hits was not ideal. Each outing this spring I’ve felt a little better.”

Mlodzinski says the talent gap between most pitchers is small. Pitchers who can get creative and make adjustments are going to stick around and have success. To be one of the pitchers to stick around and be called upon more than the 34 appearances he had in 2025, Mlodzinski said it is important for him to work with Murphy.

For Mlodzinski and all the Pirates’ pitchers, catcher Henry Davis has a huge influence on their concentration and success. Against Orioles starter Trevor Rogers on Saturday, Davis hit a leadoff home run and brought in another run when walking with the bases loaded. Davis had two at-bats on the day.

“ All our pitchers love having him behind the plate. He’s on top of pitch calling and making sure everybody is comfortable out on the field.”

Getting hitters to make weak contact or have opposing hitters slap down ground balls, and figuring out how to outsmart the other teams, is Mlodzinski’s ultimate job. With his MLB experience and the backing of a coaching team, 2026 by all accounts is looking bright for Mlodzinski.