Projecting the Pirates Opening Day Bullpen

This offseason, the Pirates made a signing that no one expected. They signed left handed veteran, Aroldis Chapman to a one year deal. This decision was not made to replace All-Star closer David Bednar, but it was to bolster this team's bullpen. Unfortunately, the Pirates recently lost Dauri Moreta to an elbow injury, but they will still be able to have one of the league's best bullpens. Let’s take a look at how the Pirates bullpen will look on opening day. 

Bullpen

David Bednar

Aroldis Chapman

Colin Holderman

Carmen Mlodzinski

Ryan Borucki

Jose Hernandez

Josh Fleming

Roansy Contreras

David Bednar is the best pitcher in this Pirates bullpen by far. He was selected to his second all star game last summer and is considered one of the best closers in all of baseball. Last season, Bednar had a record of 3-3 with an earned run average of 2.00 in 67.1 innings pitched with 80 strikeouts. He also had 39 saves and a WHIP of 1.10. Keep an eye out for Bednar this year as he looks to attend the All Star game for the third year in a row.

Aroldis Chapman is another no-brainer selection for the Pirates bullpen after he signed a one year contract worth $10.5 million. The veteran lefty was a huge addition to the Pirates bullpen as he will be the team's main setup pitcher. Last season, Chapman had a 6-5 record with an earned run average of 3.09 in 58.1 innings pitched with 103 strikeouts. Chapman has looked solid through Spring Training this year, so get excited for the Bednar-Chapman duo.

Colin Holderman is a great arm in this Pirates bullpen but has had some issues this spring. He has not had any command of his pitches so far and control continues to be an issue. Last season, Holderman was one of the better pitchers in the Pirates bullpen as he had a record of 0-3 with an earned run average of 3.86 in 56 innings pitched with 58 strikeouts. Allowing too many baserunners has been a consistent problem for Holderman, but if he develops more command, then he will be one of the best arms in the bullpen.

Carmen Mlodzinski was a very exciting prospect and rookie last season. After converting from a starting pitcher to a relief pitcher, Mlodzinski began to be a very productive arm for the Pirates. In his rookie season, Mlodzinski had a record of 3-3 with an earned run average of 2.25 in 36 innings pitched with 34 strikeouts. Like Holderman, Mlodzinski can be wild at times, but he limited base runners in his first season. Carmen is quite the exciting pitcher and I expect a lot of improvement this season.

Ryan Borucki was a diamond in the rough kind of addition in last season's bullpen. The lefty was a waiver pick up from the Cubs during the midseason which worked out great for the Pirates. Last season, Borucki had a record of 4-0 with a 2.45 earned run average in 40.1 innings pitched with 33 strikeouts. Borucki pitched in a lot of crucial situations last season because he was great at limiting baserunners. He finished the season with a 0.74 WHIP. 

Jose Hernandez was the Pirates rule 5 draft selection before the 2023 season and he was a solid pick. In the early part of 2023, Hernandez was one of the best pitchers in the Pirates bullpen. In his rookie season, Hernandez had a record of 1-3 with an earned run average of 4.97 in 50.2 innings pitched with 62 strikeouts. His earned run average was high to end the season, but he was very dominant before battling injuries in the second half. I think Hernandez will continue to be a solid arm for the Pirates in 2024.

Josh Fleming was signed near the beginning of Spring Training, to a very small contract, to be a long relief option for the Pirates. This role is important for the Pirates as some of their young pitchers like Luis Ortiz and Quinn Priester may need some starts of only going 3-4 innings. Fleming was a decent pitcher with the Rays last year and the Pirates believe he can be a big piece in their bullpen. Last season, Fleming had a record of 2-0 with a 4.70 earned run average in 51.2 innings pitched with 25 strikeouts. He is also having a decent spring, which is earning his spot in the Pirates bullpen.

Roansy Contreras has been one of the most disappointing arms inside the Pirates organization. In 2022, we saw Contreras look like a great arm for the future of the Pirates, but in 2023, he stepped back and did terribly. A reason for his struggles in the majors was his drop in velocity. So far in Spring Training, we have seen his velocity rise up again, but he has struggled even more with control. Last season, Contreras had a 3-7 record with a 6.59 earned run average in 68.1 innings pitched with 55 strikeouts. He will most definitely be on the Pirates roster because he is out of minor league options and the only other option is to designate him for assignment.