Carmen Mlodzinski finally got his Pirates wish and fell flat on his face

Carmen Mlodzinski spent much of this season looking like a pitcher caught between the role the Pittsburgh Pirates needed him to fill and the one he clearly preferred.

Now there's no ambiguity. Mlodzinski is back in the starting rotation. And through two starts, he has done very little to justify it.

Mlodzinski returned to the rotation last Friday after Mitch Keller’s season ended because of a teres major injury. In his first start since May 25, Mlodzinski allowed five earned runs on seven hits in just three innings against the New York Mets.

His encore Wednesday was somehow even shorter. Mlodzinski surrendered four runs in 2 1/3 innings as the Pirates were blown out 8-2 by the Miami Marlins, extending their second-half free fall. Pittsburgh has now lost seven consecutive series, eight of its last 10 games and 17 of 25 since the All-Star break.

There is plenty of blame to go around for that collapse. But Mlodzinski’s struggles are especially frustrating because of everything that preceded his return to the rotation.

Carmen Mlodzinski complained his way back into Pirates rotation, then failed to deliver

When Jared Jones returned from the injured list and Mlodzinski was displaced as a starter earlier this season, he made little effort to hide his frustration with the decision, publicly voicing his displeasure about being sent back to the bullpen.

Yet the Pirates did not simply ask him to become a traditional late-inning reliever and move on. Instead, they designed a carefully managed bullpen role around him, determining his availability based on recovery days and often deploying him in longer, pre-planned outings — essentially accommodating his desire to maintain something resembling a starter’s routine even after he was no longer starting.

It was essentially a starter-friendly version of relief work. And to Mlodzinski’s credit, he pitched well in that role. But it also left the impression that the Pirates were bending their bullpen around a pitcher who still viewed himself as a starter rather than simply asking him to become the best reliever he could be.

On a team that desperately needed dependable late-inning arms, Mlodzinski could have embraced an opportunity to become a major piece of the bullpen. Instead, his usage remained centered around maintaining starter-like routines.

Now circumstances have handed Mlodzinski exactly what he was working toward: another opportunity to start. So far, he has responded with seven earned runs while recording only 16 outs.

Nobody should expect perfection from Mlodzinski after such a long layoff from the rotation. Starting is different from pitching in relief, and there is an adjustment involved. But Mlodzinski wanted to be viewed as a starter. Eventually, that comes with starter accountability.

The Pirates accommodated him for months. Keller’s injury opened the door. Mlodzinski finally got his chance to walk through it. Two starts later, he has done nothing but make the Pirates wonder whether they should close it again.

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