Pirates Starting Pitcher Didn't Like Coming Out Early
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PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski didn't go as far as he wanted to in his latest start.
Mlodzinski faced the St. Louis Cardinals on May 5, going 4.2 innings, throwing 88 pitches. He had a mostly solid start, aside from allowing two solo home runs in the top of the third inning to designated hitter Alec Burleson and shortstop Jose Barrero.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton took Mlodiznzki out before the end of the fifth inning and Mlodzinski wasn't pleased after leaving the game early.
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Shelton put in left-handed pitcher Ryan Borucki, who would get the next two outs, before right-handed pitcher Chase Shugart came in with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Shugart, who came into the game with a 1.23 ERA, had his worst outing of the season, allowing five hits and four earned runs, as the Cardinals went on to win 6-3.
Shelton explained post game that he took Mlodzinski out, as he would've faced the Cardinals left-handed batters after his last at-bat, which is why they went with Borucki.
“Yeah I think so. They put the three left handers at the top of the order, basically, trying to get to that third at-bat for him," Shelton said. "We got in the right lane, Carmen did a good job for us and we had the lead. I mean, Borucki came in. [Shugart]’s been good for us. Just didn’t have it tonight.”
Mlodzinski transferred up to the starting rotation, following an injury to right-handed pitcher Jared Jones, after spending the past two seasons at the MLB level in the bullpen.
He has usually done with through the first time through a lineup, but struggled the second and third times.
Shelton also said that Mlodzinski has had struggles going deep into pitch counts. which is why he went with Borucki and then Shugart, who had a good season up to that point.
“What was it? 85 pitches? I think we’ve seen Carmen over the course, a little bit, have difficulties there," Shelton said. "Three left-handers. We got a pretty good left-handed reliever. We got a stretch of right-handers with a guy that’s been really, really good vs. right-handers. I don’t know [Shugart]’s numbers of the top of my head, but I’m saying, the batting average and OPS is probably in the .150 and less than .400 range. We got the right matchups. Unfortunately we didn’t get the guys out tonight.”
Mlodzinski spoke postgame on leaving early and that he has had conversations with the Pirates pitching staff on adjusting and getting better later on through games and in those second and the third times through the batting order.
Still, he always wants to keep competing and improving each time he takes the pitcher's mound, proving he has what it takes as starting pitcher.
“Yeah, I mean, I think anytime I get taken out of the game and it’s a close game, I’m going to have a little bit of frustration," Mlodzinski said. "Just feel like there were a few things I could’ve done better in general. So I think just frustration at myself for not doing that necessarily and that’s kinda all on that.”
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.