The Pittsburgh Pirates made a bullpen move Wednesday that could affect their starting pitching plans this season.
Right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski, who moved from a relief role to the starting rotation this season, was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis and is expected to be used out of the bullpen.
Mlodzinski was 1-4 with a 5.67 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 28 strikeouts against 12 walks in 39 2/3 innings over nine starts for the Pirates this season before being optioned May 21. He was 2-0 with a 1.15 ERA and .196 batting average-against in 15 2/3 innings over three starts at Indianapolis.
Despite expressing his desire to be a starter, Mlodzinski appears open to being used in a relief role.
“The role, Carmen said too, is whatever the team needs him to do to win,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “That’s what we’re looking at from him. He’s a big-league pitcher, and we need him up here.”
To make room for Mlodzinski, the Pirates optioned right-handed reliever Kyle Nicolas to Indianapolis. Nicolas had a 7.50 ERA and 1.83 WHIP in 12 innings over 10 appearances this season.
