PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – An extremely difficult decision and conversation, how Pirates manager Don Kelly described moving Carmen Mlodzinski to the bullpen so Jared Jones could take his rotation spot on Friday.
“I think at the end of the day, when we sit here and look at what is going to give us the best chance to win every single day, having as many options as we can in different areas, we're going to have tough decisions to make, and trying to keep winning at the core of all of it," Kelly said.
Winning is something Mlodzinski did a lot of in May, going 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA. In his last four starts the 27-year-old gave up five earned runs in 21 innings with seven walks and six strikeouts.
“He's such a fierce competitor,” Jones said. “Obviously disappointed and has worked hard in the starting pitcher's role and has done a nice job and the value that he brings out of the 'pen like that, to be able to throw high-leverage, multi-inning, big innings for us that, quite frankly, we need out of the 'pen."
Kelly would go on to say that Mlodzinski would be a ‘huge weapon’ out of the bullpen, partly because he has experience there. He pointed to the game on Wednesday with the score tied 4-4, if they would have had Mlodzinski in that role, it might have been a different outcome.
It’s been stressed multiple times that the rotation, and how it all plays out, is a fluid situation. Pitchers are going to have to produce to keep that role. Bubba Chandler has been inconsistently producing, why not send him to the bullpen?
“I think that Bubba has gotten better in a sense of when you see his walks have come down, strikeouts have gone up,” Kelly said Thursday. “The game against Toronto was good. Like last night, first inning, gave up the three runs, found a way to settle into a rhythm, and came out of that game 4-4. And to be able to have a guy — if we have a guy like Carmen or if (Wilbur) Dotel (a starter in AAA) was available last night, that's probably their inning in the sixth inning to come in and fill that out. It gives us a chance. Something we're searching for right now.”
Jared Jones discusses his return
There also will be some hard conversations about Braxton Ashcraft, who by the All-Star Break might match a career-high in innings. The fluid situation could include him going to the pen at some point or skipping starts, potentially allowing Mlodzinski back in the rotation.
What was certain about all of it, Jones was not going to the bullpen.
“Coming off InternalBrace surgery just to be able to manage him in a way that allows him to recover coming off the injury, we’d have to give Dotel and Carmen also a chance to recover and rebound and not push them too hard when they’re throwing multiple innings,” Kelly said, adding it’s just better for Jones to be in the rotation.
Jones will be pitch/inning restrictions and likely either Mlodzinski or Dotel will get long-relief opportunities there.
“There are going to be a lot of innings available – and big innings – for Carmen to fill out in the bullpen,” Kelly said.
“Carmen’s valuable, hugely valuable. He started some games but we also saw him when he opened twice coming out of the ‘pen and filling six innings the one game, five innings in the next. The value that that brings. There aren’t a lot of guys that can do that. There aren’t a lot of guys that can come in, say he comes in a one-run game in the sixth inning and pitches four innings and gets the save.”
“There is a ton of value of being able to do something like that.”
For now Mlodzinski is going to have to embrace that role, again.
LISTEN to Pirates manager talk Jones, Carmen and Bubba
LISTEN to Pirates manager talk Jones, Carmen and Bubba
