4 Pirates pitchers on thin ice after Justin Lawrence addition

When Justin Lawrence was claimed off of waivers, the race for a spot in the Pirates' bullpen got even tighter. He is out of options, so he will most likely be among the Opening Day group, barring any injuries. That marks another locked up spot for the 26-man roster's bullpen, so let's examine four players who are on thin ice, and whose chances of making the big club have lessened since Lawrence's arrival.

These four Pirates pitchers are in a tight race for an Opening Day roster bullpen spot following the Justin Lawrence addition.

Kyle Nicolas

One of the young arms in the organization with closer-type stuff is Kyle Nicolas. One issue he has struggled with has been control, which resulted in a high walk rate of 12.8% last season. That is just way too high for the Pirates to feel comfortable with for a full season.

Additionally, his ERA sat at 3.90 and FIP reached 4.03, which is not bad by any means, but the WHIP of 1.50 killed his profile. He needs to limit base runners, and when he does, the league needs to watch out.

Since he still has options remaining, though, the Pirates may start him in Triple-A. At times, Nicolas looked amazing last season, so it really comes down to how he looks during spring training. No spot is guaranteed for Nicolas, and the Lawrence addition only makes things tougher for him.

Carmen Mlodzinski

Young right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski has done well in high-leverage situations for the last two seasons, but he has struggled to stay healthy. Despite all that, Mlodzinski has attempted to stretch back into a starter this spring, something he has not done for a few years since he found success out of the bullpen.

Last season, Mlodzinski posted an ERA of 3.38 with a FIP of 3.36 and a WHIP of 1.18. Opponents batted just .218 against him, and he walked hitters at a 9.1% clip.

Mlodzinski has a greater chance of making the Opening Day group than Nicolas, but still does not have a confirmed spot in the bullpen. He has options to work with, so if the Pirates are serious about stretching him out as a starter, then maybe he'll start in Triple-A to build up his pitch count.

Mike Burrows

The Pirates' 15th-ranked prospect was impressive in his lone outing of 2024, and there is even a chance that he competes for a long relief spot in Pittsburgh to begin the season. Mike Burrows recovered from Tommy John surgery completely, and is knocking on the door of the major league roster.

Last season in Triple-A while he recovered, Burrows put together a decent year, delivering a 4.06 ERA while allowing an 8.9% walk rate and .250 opponents' batting average, leading to a 1.41 WHIP.

Burrows has some solid stuff and is definitely an option to consider in the bullpen. It will be much harder for him to crack the initial group now with Lawrence in tow, so he will likely start with Indianapolis.

Joey Wentz

Lastly is Joey Wentz, who is on a short leash to open up the season. He is projected to be in the Opening Day bullpen and is out of options, so he would likely be the first to go as soon as the Pirates need a 40-man spot.

In 2024 with the Tigers and Pirates, Wentz put together an ERA of 4.68 with a FIP of 4.19 and a WHIP of 1.47. That WHIP is really high, and the Pirates have two other veteran left-handers rostered that they would be more comfortable with in higher-leverage situations.

When the Pirates are ready to call up a top prospect, like Bubba Chandler or Thomas Harrington, or even a non-roster invitee who they have to make room for, Wentz is likely the odd man out. It is unfortunate for him that he is out of options, but that is mainly why his future is cloudy.