With Jared Jones set to return to the Pirates rotation against the Twins on Friday night, Carmen Mlodzinski will shift back to a familiar role within the bullpen.
Mlodzinski has served primarily as a starter this season, but he's proven to be a valuable reliever during the course of his big-league career, sporting a 2.63 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP and .223 batting average against over 94 relief appearances. In 140 1/3 innings, he's given up 41 earned runs, walked 50 batters and struck out 135.
"We feel that this gives the team the best chance to win in all areas," DonKelly said this afternoon. "When you sit there and look at the other day, what (Wilber) Dotel was able to do behind Carmen on Monday, multiple innings coming out of the pen, and it gives us another huge weapon to be able to do that. Carmen has done a nice job as a starter, and he also can fill that role in the pen, multiple innings as like a starting pitcher-ish bulk, multi-inning, high-leverage guy out of the pen. I look at the game last night, 4-4 in the sixth, if he's out there able to come in and throw three or four innings out of the pen, he provides a lot of value there."
Kellydescribed the situation with Mlodzinski moving to the bullpen as "fluid" rather than permanent. Still, that doesn't mean it was an easy conversation to have with a guy who has produced a 4-3 record and a 3.76 ERA over 11 appearances (nine starts) this season. That includes four straight appearances in which he went five-plus innings and allowed two or fewer runs.
"He's such a fierce competitor," Kelly said. "Obviously disappointed and has worked hard in a starting pitcher's role and has done a nice job. The value that he brings out of the pen like that to be able to throw high-leverage, multiple innings, big innings for us that quite frankly we need coming out of the pen. It was an extremely difficult decision, and 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. We're trying to keep winning at the core of all of it."
THE ASYLUM
Mlodzinski making a 'fluid' shift to bullpen
With Jared Jones set to return to the Pirates rotation against the Twins on Friday night, Carmen Mlodzinski will shift back to a familiar role within the bullpen.
Mlodzinski has served primarily as a starter this season, but he's proven to be a valuable reliever during the course of his big-league career, sporting a 2.63 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP and .223 batting average against over 94 relief appearances. In 140 1/3 innings, he's given up 41 earned runs, walked 50 batters and struck out 135.
"We feel that this gives the team the best chance to win in all areas," Don Kelly said this afternoon. "When you sit there and look at the other day, what (Wilber) Dotel was able to do behind Carmen on Monday, multiple innings coming out of the pen, and it gives us another huge weapon to be able to do that. Carmen has done a nice job as a starter, and he also can fill that role in the pen, multiple innings as like a starting pitcher-ish bulk, multi-inning, high-leverage guy out of the pen. I look at the game last night, 4-4 in the sixth, if he's out there able to come in and throw three or four innings out of the pen, he provides a lot of value there."
Kelly described the situation with Mlodzinski moving to the bullpen as "fluid" rather than permanent. Still, that doesn't mean it was an easy conversation to have with a guy who has produced a 4-3 record and a 3.76 ERA over 11 appearances (nine starts) this season. That includes four straight appearances in which he went five-plus innings and allowed two or fewer runs.
"He's such a fierce competitor," Kelly said. "Obviously disappointed and has worked hard in a starting pitcher's role and has done a nice job. The value that he brings out of the pen like that to be able to throw high-leverage, multiple innings, big innings for us that quite frankly we need coming out of the pen. It was an extremely difficult decision, and 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. We're trying to keep winning at the core of all of it."
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