Carmen Mlodzinski Struggles Creating Problem for Pirates
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates had a good showing on this recent road trip, but right-handed starting pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski did not leave a good impression over it.
Mlodzinski started two games for the Pirates on this road trip, which included a 5-1 defeat to the Texas Rangers in the series opener at Globe Life Field on April 21 and then a 5-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in the series finale at American Family Field on April 26.
He allowed five earned runs over 4.1 innings vs. the Rangers and then four earned runs over 3.2 innings vs. the Brewers, which is good for a 10.13 ERA over those two starts
Mlodzinski had a strong start to the season, but these past two starts put pressure on him and the Pirates to find a solution before things start getting much worse.
Why Mldozinski Has Struggled These Past Two Starts
The Rangers and Brewers have come out swinging against Mlodzinski and when they made contact, they usually had success.
Mlodzinski had 25 batted ball events over these past two starts, giving up 11 total hits in the process.
His splitter, normally one of his better pitches, saw the two teams get four hits off of, while they also got three hits off of his sinker, two hits off his four-seam fastball, then a hit each off his sweeper and curveball.
Where Mlodzinski had most of his struggles was through the third time facing the batting order, giving up two hits that scored three runs vs. the Rangers and then five hits and five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning vs. the Brewers.
He actually had a great beginning to his start vs. the Brewers, with three strikeouts and just one walk allowed, but things unraveled quickly for him in that inning.
What This Means For Mlodzinski's Future in Starting Rotation
The Pirates needed a fifth starter for their rotation, as they already had Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler in already.
Pittsburgh signed free agent José Urquidy and brought up rookie left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco, both of whom eventually began the season in the bullpen, with Mlodzinski the only real option for that last rotation spot, especially with the struggles Urquidy had in Spring Training.
Both pitchers are down with Triple-A Indianapolis, as they are stretching out as starters to give the Pirates depth if needed.
Mlodzinski had his issues as the fifth starter last season, posting a 1-4 record over nine starts, a 5.67 ERA over 39.2 innings pitched, 28 strikeouts to 12 walks, a .311 batting average allowed (BAA) and a 1.61 WHIP, before the Pirates sent him down to Triple-A.
One of the issues Mlodzinski had was when he would face the lineup for the second and third time and opposing hitters started getting after him, something that he had an issue with vs. the Rangers and Brewers.
Mlodzinski posted a 1.77 ERA over his first three starts and four appearances of 2026, with 20.1 innings pitched, 20 strikeouts to eight walks, a .247 batting average allowed (BAA) and a 1.33 WHIP.
He wasn't going as long as he would've liked, breaching just five innings once in his starts, but still posted scoreless outings over 5.1 innings vs. the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 10 and six innings in relief vs. the Washington Nationals at PNC Park on April 15.
Mlodzinski needs to get back to those types of pitching performances, attacking hitters early and often and changing approach when facing them again, keeping them guessing at the plate.
The Pirates will eventually get right-handed pitcher Jared Jones back, as he is starting his rehab assignment soon and could return as early as soon as May 25, the first day following his stint on the 60-day injured list.
If Mlodzinski continues his struggles, then it won't be long until Jones, when he's fully healthy, assumes his spot in the starting rotation and Mlodzinski heads back to the bullpen, where he's been excellent in his career.
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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.