Carmen Mlodzinski embraces return to bullpen as Pirates tinker with his role

Carmen Mlodzinski has not backed off his conviction that he can be an effective starting pitcher at the major-league level.

While Mlodzinski currently is not being utilized in that capacity, the Pittsburgh Pirates still believe in him as a starter, too.

Mlodzinski, whom the Pirates deployed as a starter to begin the year before sending him to Triple-A Indianapolis in late May, will work out of the bullpen for now. He was recalled Wednesday.

“Carmen’s got a deep repertoire,” Pirates assistant general manager Steve Sanders said on 93.7 FM on Sunday. “He pounds the zone, he’s an intense competitor and I think that suits him well to start games, end games and pitch important innings in the middle. Right now, we’re just going to use him to help us win games in any way that we can.”

Two days after rejoining the big-league club, Mlodzinski got his first call from the bullpen, entering Friday’s game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Taking over for Paul Skenes, Mlodzinski delivered scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh in a game the Pirates eventually won in 10 innings.

Mlodzinski allowed three hits and struck out one, escaping a jam in the sixth with a double play after Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong singled.

“Felt good,” Mlodzinski said after the game, his first with the Pirates since May 17. “Just was able to make some pitches and getting that double play was big. Any time your defense can pick you up with nobody out and guys on first and second is going to be important.

“I thought it was good. I threw a lot of strikes, got ahead in the count, gave up contact but ultimately, when I’m filling up (the zone), I’m going to feel confident in an outing.”

Judging by how he performed at Triple-A after being optioned May 21, Mlodzinski did not pout upon being sent to Indianapolis.

Over three outings, all starts, he went 2-0 with a 1.15 ERA in 15 2/3 innings, striking out 16 with seven walks.

While he won’t rejoin the Pirates starting rotation for now, Mlodzinski impressed nonetheless, factoring into his recall.

“We went into the offseason committed to developing Carmen as a starter,” Sanders said. “We’re happy with the progress he made at the major-league level during the time he was up. He went down to (Indianapolis), continued that work and was performing at a high level.

“Ultimately, we decided, without closing down anything in the future, that right now, he was best suited to bring his stuff up to the major-league level and help us. He’s been able to do that by providing length and leverage out of the bullpen.”

On the year, through 10 appearances (nine starts) with the Pirates, Mlodzinski is 1-4 with a 5.40 ERA in 41 2/3 innings.

A starter until Double-A coming up through the minors, Mlodzinski struggled at times this season in that role, particularly in navigating opposing lineups multiple times.

But in May, Mlodzinski seemed to be finding some rhythm, posting a 3.95 ERA in three starts before he was sent down to Triple-A.

Mlodzinski’s success as a starter at Triple-A during his recent stint with the Indians was not lost on Pirates management.

But upon getting called back up to the majors, he was entrusted to slide back into the bullpen. His relief outing June 11 was the first he’d made since Sept. 29 last year.

A parallel to Mlodzinski is the utilization of rookie Braxton Ashcraft, the Pirates’ No. 7 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline.

Out of 71 minor-league appearances leading up to his May 26 call-up by the Pirates, 69 were starts. But getting started as a major-leaguer, the 25-year-old Ashcraft has factored in as a reliever.

So far, he’s excelled in an unfamiliar role, going 1-0 with a 0.93 ERA over six games.

Like Mlodzinski, the Pirates aren’t committing to keeping him in a singular role moving forward.

“In these cases, everyone is individualized,” Sanders said. “We try to approach it as what’s best for the player, what’s best for the team and what we want to see from a developmental perspective.

“Roles change, evolve and will continue with time, but right now, we’re just excited to have both of these guys on the team. Really encouraged with what we’ve seen out of them at the major-league level.”