The Pittsburgh Pirates are facing serious questions about this move.
The Pittsburgh Pirates' starting rotation is teeming with talent, and it goes beyond Paul Skenes. Bubba Chandler is one of the top prospects in all of baseball, and Braxton Ashcraft flashed some impressive stuff last year.
Then, of course, there is veteran Mitch Keller, who is perpetually in trade rumors but never actually gets dealt.
But what about the No. 5 spot in the rotation?
Well, the Pirates have opted to roll with Carmen Mlodzinski as their last starter, continuing a trend from last year when they transitioned Mlodzinski from a reliever to a starting pitcher.
However, based on Mlodzkinski's underwhelming results as a starter in 2025, Danny Demilio of Pittsburgh Baseball Now has questions about the right-hander.
"While Mlodzinski did his part to earn a rotation spot during spring, the Pirates’ decision to not add a veteran starting pitcher in free agency or trade is the main reason they will experiment with him in the starting rotation again," Demilio wrote. "... But given that the Pirates first decided to convert Mlodzinski to a bullpen role while he was still in the minor leagues and looking at what he did last season, there are some reasons to be skeptical."
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski. Credit: Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.Pittsburgh was very busy addressing its lineup this offseason, adding bats like Ryan O'Hearn, Marcell Ozuna and Brandon Lowe, but it chose not to add another starting pitcher, a decision that could come bite to bite the Buccos.
Mlodzinski owned a 2.15 ERA over 22 relief appearances in 2025, but he logged a 4.99 ERA across 12 starts, allowing 58 hits while managing just 36 strikeouts through 48.2 innings of work. He posted an alarming 1.521 WHIP, and his 2.25 K/BB left a whole lot to be desired.
A former first-round pick, the 27-year-old labored in the minor leagues, pitching to the tune of a 4.29 ERA over 81 appearances and 39 starts.
As Demilio noted, Mlodzinski's struggles as a starter are the reason why the Pirates moved him to the bullpen, so re-making him into a starting pitcher could be harmful for his development. It definitely appeared to hurt him last year.
Mlodzinski made his big-league debut with Pittsburgh in 2023 and has experienced considerable success as a reliever ever since, so the Bucs' decision to insert him into the starting rotation certainly deserves some pushback.
Perhaps Mlodzinski will prove to be an asset to the Pirates' starting staff in 2026, but if he has issues, you can bet he'll be back in the bullpen soon enough. You just have to hope it doesn't adversely affect him long term.
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