Phillies 5, Pirates 2: Mlodzinski chased yet again
Carmen Mlodzinski just keeps showing the Pirates why he shouldn't be a starter, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk over 3 1/3 innings of an eventual 5-2 loss to the Phillies today here at Citizens Bank Park.
A converted reliever for the 2025 season, he's yet to pitch beyond 5 2/3 innings in any of his nine starts, and this one was his fourth of four or fewer innings. His ERA's 5.67, his WHIP's 1.61, and opponents are batting .311 off him. Whereas, out of the bullpen the two previous years, his ERA was 2.91, his WHIP 1.22, and his opponents' batting average .219. Even more telling, maybe, the fourth inning's been his worst all season with 11 runs allowed, including two here.
“I just didn’t pitch to my strengths,” Mlodzinski would say. “I think the outings that I’ve struggled this year, I’m pitching more to hitters’ weaknesses. I think that’s where you see me waste pitches."
"I think he's still learning as he goes," DonKelly said. "Figuring out when to ramp it up, when to dial it back and how to get the offspeed in the zone and do it consistently."
The offense was awful through eight innings, held to three singles and a walk over six innings by Philadelphia's superb starter, Zach Wheeler. The lone bright spot: Bryan Reynolds rejoined the lineup after a rare day off and went 2 for 3 with a home run and a walk, his fourth-inning single snapping an 0-for-21 slump and his two-run blast to right in the ninth accounting for the final score. He's still 4 for his past 49.
• Thenextone: Phillies, Sunday, 1:35 p.m., Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
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THE ASYLUM
Dejan Kovacevic
10:53 pm - 05.17.2025PhiladelphiaPhillies 5, Pirates 2: Mlodzinski chased yet again
Carmen Mlodzinski just keeps showing the Pirates why he shouldn't be a starter, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk over 3 1/3 innings of an eventual 5-2 loss to the Phillies today here at Citizens Bank Park.
A converted reliever for the 2025 season, he's yet to pitch beyond 5 2/3 innings in any of his nine starts, and this one was his fourth of four or fewer innings. His ERA's 5.67, his WHIP's 1.61, and opponents are batting .311 off him. Whereas, out of the bullpen the two previous years, his ERA was 2.91, his WHIP 1.22, and his opponents' batting average .219. Even more telling, maybe, the fourth inning's been his worst all season with 11 runs allowed, including two here.
“I just didn’t pitch to my strengths,” Mlodzinski would say. “I think the outings that I’ve struggled this year, I’m pitching more to hitters’ weaknesses. I think that’s where you see me waste pitches."
"I think he's still learning as he goes," Don Kelly said. "Figuring out when to ramp it up, when to dial it back and how to get the offspeed in the zone and do it consistently."
The offense was awful through eight innings, held to three singles and a walk over six innings by Philadelphia's superb starter, Zach Wheeler. The lone bright spot: Bryan Reynolds rejoined the lineup after a rare day off and went 2 for 3 with a home run and a walk, his fourth-inning single snapping an 0-for-21 slump and his two-run blast to right in the ninth accounting for the final score. He's still 4 for his past 49.
• The highlights: From Major League Baseball ...
• The manager: Kelly's media session ...
• The data: Boxscore | Statistics | Advanced
• The standings: 15-31, fifth, Central Division
• The trends: Lost 15 of 19, now 3-5 with Kelly
• The next one: Phillies, Sunday, 1:35 p.m., Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
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