Mackey's mailbag: Future for Carmen Mlodzinski, Pirates additions, Braxton Ashcraft’s season and more

HOUSTON — Hello, Pirates fans. Greetings from Space City. Only my second time here. Awesome place. With the off day today, I figured it’s the perfect time for a mailbag. Thanks so much for the excellent questions. A lot to discuss. If you have something for a future mailbag, hit me up at Jason.Mackey@pirates.com or on X @JMackey_PGH.

Tim Westine (@TimWestine): Next nine games feel really challenging. Does 5-4 cement them as a serious contender?

Jason Mackey: They’re certainly not easy. After the Astros, the Pirates will be at the Braves and home against the Dodgers. Even Houston, despite being seven games under .500 (27-34), has been much better of late, going 7-3 over its past 10.

A strong showing wouldn’t hurt, but I’m not sure 5-4 cements them as a serious contender, to directly answer your question. Still so much baseball left.

Angry Yinzer (@AngryYinzer99): What do you see as Carmen’s future with the Pirates?

Jason Mackey: Bunch of questions about Carmen Mlodzinski — and I get it. It’s a juicy storyline. But I thought I would address everything I know and think about that situation in one spot. Here it goes …

Mlodzinski’s frustration has been obvious since he learned of the bullpen decision. He talked to teammates, but that was it. Definitely threw him for a loop.

I also think there are some layers to peel back.

He’s very much a unique dude, as people have learned. Deadhead, sort of a hippie, spends his offseasons in Hawaii or other remote places. Grew up without technology and loves getting away from it. Convicted in how he wants to do things.

Mlodzinski believes he should be a starter, and I’m not sure he’s wrong. But the best thing for the Pirates right now is for him to pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen, in the type of role Don Kelly and Ben Cherington have outlined.

Is that unfair to Mlodzinski? Maybe a little, yeah. It’s also not the first or last time that will happen in professional sports. Nor is this permanent.

How Mlodzinski handled it (understandably) did not sit well with people. Everyone has unpleasant parts of their job! Come to my office, I’ll pitch in a major league game! I get it. I think he should have handled it better, too.

It’s also true that Mlodzinski was not paid, did not earn service time and was not allowed to be around teammates Sunday when he was placed on MLB's restricted list.

My point: Both things can be true. He invited criticism by not handling the situation better or channeling his frustration in a more productive way. But who among us hasn’t let emotions or pride consume us?

I’m sure as heck guilty.

I think Mlodzinski’s daily prep work lacked because he was upset — again, a mistake, but also not terribly unique within the working world; his days just happen to be televised and scrutinized.

Mlodzinski didn’t want to hurt the team by getting rocked, so he made the decision to inform the Pirates that he wasn’t ready to pitch.

There hasn’t been a trade request, and I don’t think there will be one. I also don’t take what Mlodzinski said or did Sunday as an act or protest. If he wanted to request a trade, there’s nothing stopping him (although the Pirates don’t have to acquiesce.)

Cam Sanders was optioned to Triple-A. Mlodzinski had his stuff packed for Houston. The expectation is for him to be here Tuesday.

So long as the switch flips and Mlodzinski fully embraces the new role, I think everyone will be willing to move on.

Chris Mancetta (@ChrisMascetta): What does the lineup look like against left-handed starters? Does Ryan O’Hearn go to first and will Marcell Ozuna DH? How much runway does [Ozuna] have left?

Jason Mackey: This is a sneaky important storyline right now.

Let’s start with O’Hearn, the incredibly fast healer. He’ll be in the lineup most days, but I’d have to think the Pirates would like to DH him some. Likely the same with Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds, if possible.

They’re also in an interesting spot with Spencer Horwitz, who had the eighth-best OPS (.986) of any MLB hitter in May. Do you really want to sit him? He’s struggled against lefties in the past but has been better lately. My opinion: As long as Horwitz is productive against left-handed pitching, he should play every day.

That could leave Ozuna in a tough spot, especially because I haven’t mentioned Jake Mangum looking better or the fact that Jhostynxon Garcia needs playing time to justify being kept on the MLB roster.

At the same time, if you’re trying to get Ozuna right, you have to play him. I also wonder if there’s not one last push coming after the Pirates sat Ozuna for the past four days. Reset, heal and go at it fresh in Houston.

If it doesn’t click at that point, I don’t know what else there is to do. With everything else I mentioned, they can’t afford to allocate regular DH at-bats to someone hitting .186.

Pittsburghkid412 (@baseballjake081): Any early Pirates trade rumors or targets you want to see them go after?

Jason Mackey: We’re not in a position where I can give you exact names, but the positions to target have crystallized. I’d worry far less about a bat and more about the pitching side of things, especially mid-to-late innings.

I know, it’s a common ask this time of year, but the Pirates need bullpen help. They could use another starter depending on what happens with Jared Jones, Bubba Chandler, Braxton Ashcraft’s innings and the Mlodzinski move.

But a right-handed reliever capable of pitching the seventh or eighth should be No. 1. Gregory Soto, Mason Montgomery and Evan Sisk have been solid. But Dennis Santana, Isaac Mattson, Justin Lawrence and Yohan Ramirez have not lived up to expectations.

Pretty clear need there for me.

Tony Hull (@Nino_83): How many innings do you think Ashcraft will be allowed to throw in 2026?

Jason Mackey: I’d be surprised if it was more than 160 or so. He was at 118 last year. Normally you don’t see teams jump a young pitcher year-over-year by more than 30 or so innings. We’ll go 10 more here just because Ashcraft has been so darn good and efficient.

But even if his cap is 160, there’s some tough math ahead:

• In that scenario, he’d have roughly 85 innings left.

• If we operate on the assumption of 32 starts, Ashcraft has 20 remaining. I don’t think they’re going to want him going four innings and change per start, which is why something will have to be adjusted.

Rest period? Bullpen? Certainly some shorter starts. But to your question, Tony, I just don’t see — given how darn good this kid has been — the Pirates saying the heck with it and letting Ashcraft increase his innings total by more than 40 or so.

Juice (@juice9533): How’s Seth Hernandez doing since that rough outing?

Jason Mackey: He was much better his last time out (May 28), Juice: five innings pitched, three hits, two earned runs, three walks and six strikeouts.

I also think it’s funny where we’re at with the Seth Hernandez discourse, in that giving up three solo home runs in 2 2/3 innings causes what feels like some level of concern.

It was probably a good thing for him, honestly. If there’s any nit to pick with Hernandez thus far, it’s been those momentary lapses of control, either via trying too hard or working on repeating his delivery.

Hernandez has walked 11 in three starts since bumping up to High-A. He issued seven free passes total in six Low-A starts. He’s adjusting. Probably only a matter of time until we start seeing more ridiculous numbers.

Rob (@pghfan15061): Do you think they made the right decision with the pitchers involved with this drama?

Matthew Ellis (via email): Have you ever heard any muttering about converting Bubba Chandler into a closer?

Jason Mackey: Few points here:

• I don't totally agree with what they've done pitching-wise. My opinion also doesn't matter.

• While I have not heard any muttering, I would not hate trying Chandler as a late-inning reliever/the closer.

In fact, it genuinely intrigues me. In a hypothetical world, you keep Mlodzinski as a starter and see where it goes.

Meanwhile, with Chandler, it’s very much Nuke LaLoosh from “Bull Durham”: Don’t think. Just throw. As hard as you can. Be a bit of a nut. Get back to being aggressive. See where it goes.

Are there concerns? Sure. If Chandler can't consistently throw strikes, the plan fails. It also doesn't have to be permanent.

I know it’s been suggested to try Jones there, but I’m actually OK given his age and experience with sticking to starting after internal brace surgery. The Pirates can control more that way.

But I’m genuinely intrigued by Chandler as a potential closer. I just doubt it’ll ever happen.

Robert Truskey Jr. (via email): Why don't the Pirates seem to play any small ball when the situation warrants it?

Jason Mackey: Couple things go into my answer here. First, facts: The Pirates are tied for 22nd in MLB with four sacrifice bunts this season. They're tied for 19th in sacrifice flies (15). I wish there was a stat to quantify productive outs or QUABs (quality at-bats), as Neil Walker likes to say, but if it exists, I'm unaware how to find it.

That said, does it matter? Seriously. The Pirates are fifth in runs (301), batting (.253) and OPS (.733). It's not a small sample size. Small ball, big ball, medium-sized ball, whatever. Score runs. They're doing that.

If your lineup includes Brandon Lowe, Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz, O'Hearn and even Horwitz, I don't want those guys bunting. I agree, they could do it more with Jake Mangum, Jared Triolo or Henry Davis. It’s a way for those guys to contribute. I'm on the fence with Nick Gonzales, who has two sac bunts in his MLB career but is hitting .303 this season; would probably prefer he swing away.

The Pirates are also fourth in steals (57) and first in success rate (87.7%). I'd argue they're doing OK.

Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH on X.