Pirates make worrying Carmen Mlodzinski roster move amid clear dissatisfaction originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates got some good news for Sunday’s matchup with Ryan O’Hearn returning from the injured list. But they also got some bad news.
Konnor Griffin replaced O’Hearn on the IL, which is a brutal blow, but it’s not the most worrying roster move the Pirates made on Sunday.
According to Jason Mackey of MLB.com, the Pirates have placed Carmen Mlodzinski on the restricted list after he clearly expressed his dissatisfaction over losing his starting rotation job with Jared Jones’ return.
Pirates place Carmen Mlodzinski on restricted list
“Pirates have placed Carmen Mlodzinski on the restricted list and recalled Cma Sanders from Triple-A Indianapolis,” Mackey reports. “Would imagine further explanation forthcoming.”
This decision from the Pirates comes a few days after Mlodzinski was taken out of the starting rotation to accommodate the retuning Jared Jones.
As 93.7 The Fan shared, Mlodzinski was clearly not happy with the decision. He said, “I’m just still communicating with the organization, the people in my corner, whether that’s my family or my agency, about what’s next.
#Pirates Carmen Mlodzinski has taken going to the bullpen hard pic.twitter.com/OhmG5ACRxX
— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) May 29, 2026
It was clear he was not a fan of the decision to be moved to the bullpen, which isn’t that surprising considering how well he’s pitched this season as a starter.
On the season, he has a 3.76 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 11 outings this season, nine of which were starts. Since May eighth, he’s made four starts and has gone at least five innings and never allowed more than two runs in all four starts.
Mlodzinski was a solid pitcher for the Pirates this season as a part of the rotation, but he lost his spot to Jones’ return, as the Pirates stuck with Bubba Chandler in the rotation over Mlodzinski.
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After his dissatisfaction over the decision was made clear, this roster move now sparks some worry about whether he’s going to pitch again for the Pirates.
While he might be more amenable to a bullpen role after this restricted list placement is over, it’s hard to ignore the negative side effects of this roster move.
For as good as Mlodzinski has been this season, it would be a shame if the Pirates had to move on from him with how dissatisfied he’s been with this bullpen decision.
It’s too soon to determine the actual reason for this restricted list placement and whether the Pirates are going to move on from Mlodzinski. But the warning signs are there, and the 27-year-old right-hander might not be a part of the Pirates much longer.
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