The Pittsburgh Pirates had the most efficient closer in baseball last season, as two-time All-Star David Bednar led the majors by converting 93% of his save opportunities.
What stood out about their bullpen, however, was how many relievers thrived in high-leverage situations: Sinkerballer Colin Holderman ranked ninth in MLB in holds (27) despite two stints on the injured list. Lefty Ryan Borucki went 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 0.74 WHIP. Rookie right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski had an eye-popping 199 ERA+, which considers external factors like ballparks and opponents.
“It’s a group I was really excited for going into this year,” said Bednar, who tied for the National League lead with 39 saves in 2023. “Then you add a guy like Chapman, it takes it to a whole other level.”
When the Pirates signed seven-time All-Star Aroldis Chapman, who has 321 career saves in 14 seasons, they further bolstered a bullpen that promises to be one of their strengths.
“We had a really good bullpen. Now we have a top-three bullpen,” Holderman said. “It takes some pressure off the guys, especially when you add a guy who’s done it all like Chapman. Every single situation he’s been put into, just to be able to draw from his knowledge is going to really help us out this year because we have a young bullpen. I think it’s going to be something special. I don’t think we have a weakness out there.”
If they do, it might be staying healthy.
The Pirates are keeping their fingers crossed that they can keep their relievers off the shelf. Fireman Dauri Moreta was lost for the season to Tommy John surgery. Bednar missed much of spring training with a lat strain. Holderman contracted a virus and dropped 15 pounds, and Mlodzinski dealt with tightness in his right forearm, and both are expected to be placed on the 15-day injured list while recovering.
The Pirates’ bullpen has balance, as they are expected to open the season Thursday against the Miami Marlins with four left-handers: Borucki, Chapman and long relievers Bailey Falter and Josh Fleming. They also will have five righties: Bednar, converted starters Roansy Contreras and Luis Ortiz and middle relievers Ryder Ryan and Hunter Stratton.
Where Borucki throws a slider, it’s also the favored pitch for Contreras and Ortiz. Ryan replaces Holderman as the sinkerballer, while Stratton relies heavily upon a cutter. Both Bednar and Chapman complement high-velocity four-seam and split-fingered fastballs with a breaking pitch, as Bednar uses a curveball and Chapman a slider.
That was an emphasis for Pirates manager Derek Shelton, who sought to build a bullpen with a diverse repertoire and lefty complements to the right-handers that will give him more favorable matchups.
“It’s definitely a weapon,” Shelton said. “I think we’ve seen teams that have built really effective bullpens with guys who can do different things with different repertoires from different arm angles. So it’s something that we’ve been very aware of, in terms of how we’re going to build our bullpen. And it’s not just the eight guys who are going to be in it but the guys that go to Indy, too, and the weapons they have to come up and facilitate.”
Several relievers who pitched for the Pirates last year will start the season in the minors, including lefty Jose Hernandez and righties Kyle Nicolas and Colin Selby. And they added depth with Brent Honeywell Jr., whose six-pitch mix includes a screwball.
“Last year at the end of the year, we got to show how good we can be,” Borucki said. “Really, really was impressed with how the young guys responded. Guys who it was their first time in the big leagues were really not scared of anything. Very fearless mentality. I knew that even when I was in Indy. I played with a lot of these guys who got called up. You knew they were coming.
“I remember as a rookie, especially if you struggle a little bit, you get a little bit timid of the bat and scared of contact. But all these guys go out there with their best stuff. It’s really going to be a fun year for us.”
With only four starters locked into the starting rotation — All-Star right-hander Mitch Keller, lefties Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales and 22-year-old rookie righty Jared Jones — the Pirates could be leaning heavily upon their bullpen early. They could use converted starters in Contreras, Falter, Fleming and Ortiz as openers or in bulk relief.
But once the Pirates get to the back end of the bullpen, there’s widespread belief that Bednar can close the door to close out wins.
“I just want to get the ball to Beddy. I know that’s what Chapman wants to do, as well,” Holderman said. “If we’re doing that, we’ll win a lot of ballgames.”
