Two years ago, Carmen Mlodzinski spent part of his offseason tracking down the source of a splitter that might have saved his career. The pitch traveled from Kirby Yates to David Bednar to Mlodzinski — and by the end of 2025, it turned into a legitimate weapon.
That’s the good story.
The frustrating story? The Pirates appear ready to ignore what 2025 already told them. Because allowing Mlodzinski to compete for a starting job again doesn’t feel like development; it feels like denial.
Last spring, in light of the injury to Jared Jones, the Pirates granted Mlodzinski’s wish to start.