Who should stay and who should go for Pirates bullpen in 2025

Before the 2024 season, the Pirates' biggest strength appeared to be their bullpen. After seeing injury after injury pile up, the bullpen instead turned out to be one of the reasons that they fell apart in the second half.

Following this implosion from the relievers, it's difficult to determine what the 2025 bullpen will look like. This projection features one possible reality.

Who should stay and who should be dropped from the Pittsburgh Pirates' current bullpen?

David Bednar has had his worst season thus far in a Pirates uniform. He has a 6.06 earned run average with a WHIP of 1.39 and 50 strikeouts. He also has 23 saves, but six blown saves, which is far from competent. Bednar still has strong pitches that can get outs, but he has lacked command this season, and that has caused him to struggle.

Even though he has struggled in 2024, the Pirates should not move on from him. Although this season has not been one for the record books, from 2021-2023, he didn't post an earned run average over 2.61. This season was poor, but it should not cause the Pirates to move on from him. He is still a very good arm in the bullpen.

Colin Holderman is another guy who has recently been very bad, consistently blowing games and causing losses. Before that long stetch of poor outings, though, Holderman was having an incredible season, throwing consistent scoreless outings. Before the All-Star break, Holderman had a 1.77 earned run average in 35.2 innings. After the break, he had an 11.05 earned run average in 7.1 innings.

As you can see, he has not been unreliable all season, but caught a rough spell at the worst time. On the season, Holderman has a 3.35 earned run average with a WHIP of 1.35 and 48 strikeouts. He also has lacked command this season, but the Pirates should not move on from him yet, either. Both Holderman and Bednar will be very crucial in 2025.

Carmen Mlodzinski and Kyle Nicolas are another two solid young relievers who should also stay on the team in 2025. Both have gone through some growing pains as expected, but overall, they have both been very reliable in 2024. Mlodzinski has a 3.60 earned run average with a WHIP of 1.23, while Nicolas has a 3.55 earned run average with a 1.42 WHIP.

Walks have hurt Nicolas, but he has the chance to be a future closer with the pitches he possesses. Both of these guys are still young, and will be big parts of the future bullpen.

Aroldis Chapman, Jalen Beeks, and Ryan Borucki are all on expiring contracts, and are each left-handed relievers. All three have been solid in their Pirate careers, but each has their own flaws that could convince the Pirates not to re-sign them.

Chapman has been workable, with a 3.38 earned run average and an opposing batting average of .175, but he is expensive and has control issues. That price tag could steer the Pirates away this offseason. Beeks was a solid pickup at the deadline, but is not all that reliable. His earned run average is at 4.33 and his WHIP is at 1.41. He would be cheap, but with a shaky bullpen, a risky extension may not be worth it. Borucki's health is the type of big concern that would make the Pirates want to stay away. He is finally healthy and pitching in Pittsburgh, but his rehab for the last two months has been off and on too many times.

Overall, the Pirates have a strong core of relievers returning to the squad that they should hold on to, but they will need to find replacements for the free agent lefties that they should probably stay away from. The four right-handers are a good nucleus to the team that will be given a fresh start in 2025.