Carmen Mlodzinski’s Bullpen Standoff Is a Bad Look

Alex Stumpf breaks down the Carmen Mlodzinski situation after the Pirates placed him on the restricted list when he communicated he was not ready to pitch out of the bullpen. Mlodzinski has made it clear he wants to be a starting pitcher, and he pitched well enough this season to have a real case. But with Jared Jones returning, Braxton Ashcraft forcing his way into the rotation, and the Pirates badly needing middle relief help, Mlodzinski was moved back into a bulk bullpen role. This episode of OffBeat looks at why the situation matters, the ripple effects on Cam Sanders and the bullpen, what it means for Braxton Ashcraft’s innings, and why Mlodzinski’s response could shape how his future is viewed in Pittsburgh and possibly around the league. Subscribe to Alex Stumpf’s Book-Rule Bucs Substack: https://bookrulebucs.substack.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.