PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates placed right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski on the restricted list on May 31, 2026, after he expressed he was not ready to contribute in his new bullpen role. The move followed his shift from the starting rotation to the bullpen after the team reactivated Jared Jones from the 60-day injured list.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said the decision was based on Mlodzinski’s own assessment of his readiness. "I think going into the weekend we understood and communicated with Carmen that at some point this weekend we were going to need him to be ready or we're going to have to replace him on the team, in fairness to the team. So that's what happened." He added, "Confident that we're going to see him pitch for this team very soon, but he wasn't ready to do that today."
A source told MLB.com that the move was because Mlodzinski felt he wasn’t physically or mentally ready to help the team win in his new role just yet. Rather than force the Bucs to play a man short, he was honest with the team. The source also said that Mlodzinski seems to be on board with his role in the bullpen, and is prepared to pitch in Houston on Tuesday, following Monday's off-day.
Aiden Stepansky reported that "Mlodzinski has not requested a trade, and Cherington believes he’ll pitch for the Pirates on the road trip that ends June 7." Mlodzinski, a four-year MLB veteran, last pitched in a start against the Chicago Cubs on May 25, 2026. In the 2026 season, he has made 11 appearances—nine as a starter—and posted a 3.76 ERA with a 4-3 record.