Pittsburgh Pirates: Potential Replacements For Angel Perdomo's Bullpen Role

The Pittsburgh Pirates lost left-handed reliever Angel Perdomo to Tommy John surgery, and then waivers to the Braves, leaving a hole in the bullpen. But who are some potential replacements for him?

Last year, the Pittsburgh Pirates found what seemed to be a diamond in the rough in Angel Perdomo. The lefty signed a minor league deal in February, and in 29 innings, Perdomo had a 3.72 ERA, 3.01 FIP, and 1.10 WHIP with an astounding 37.6% strikeout rate. But Perdomo’s season came to an abrupt end. After surrendering two earned runs and making two outs, Perdomo was placed on the IL with an elbow injury.

The Pirates weren’t specific on Perdomo’s condition at the time, but the team would place him on waivers and claimed by the Atlanta Braves, which was surprising to most given that he pitched well last year and was projected to return in 2024. But unbeknownst to fans, Perdomo had undergone Tommy John surgery in October, so his earliest return date is 2026, assuming he heals well without any setbacks.

But Perdomo’s surgery and proceeding waiver claim left a hole in the Pirates’ bullpen: a second, decent left-handed reliever. The Pirates have a solid foundation in the bullpen already set with David Bednar, Darui Moreta, Colin Holderman, Carmen Mlodzinski, and Ryan Borucki, the other left-handed reliever who was also a diamond in the rough find by the Pirates. But what are the Pirates’ options to replace Perdomo?