{"id":607441,"date":"2026-03-05T08:58:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T08:58:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/607441\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T08:58:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T08:58:15","slug":"where-the-pirates-rotation-battle-stands-this-spring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/607441\/","title":{"rendered":"Where the Pirates Rotation Battle Stands This Spring"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Pittsburgh Pirates\u2019 rotation is mostly set as spring training rolls on. Paul Skenes<\/a>, Mitch Keller<\/a>, Bubba Chandler<\/a>, and Braxton Ashcraft<\/a> make up the Pirates\u2019 1-4. However, the fifth spot is still up for grabs. The Bucs traded right-handers Johan Oviedo<\/a> and Mike Burrows<\/a>, making it a competition between four hurlers going into the pre-season. Now that spring training is in full swing, let\u2019s check in on how each candidate is doing.<\/p>\n

The Battle for the Pirates\u2019 Fifth Rotation Spot This Spring
\nHunter Barco<\/p>\n

Hunter Barco<\/a> is one of the Pirates\u2019 top prospects. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the 96th-best prospect in baseball<\/a>. The left-hander spent most of his 2025 season in the minor leagues, pitching 99 1\/3 innings between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. Barco owned a 2.81 ERA, 27.8% strikeout rate, and 11.8% walk rate. He also allowed only five home runs. The Pirates also debuted him late into the season. Barco made two appearances out of the bullpen, tossing three innings, not allowing a single walk, and striking out three.<\/p>\n

So far this spring, Barco has been dominant. He has tossed 4 1\/3 scoreless frames. In that time, he has struck out six opponents and has induced a whiff rate of 52.8% in the small sample size. However, the lefty has also walked five opponents. Barco is throwing his four-seamer with even more arm-side run; however, he had to sacrifice some vertical drop to achieve it. His splitter is still averaging an impressive sub-1,000-RPM spin rate. He is throwing that pitch with even more break than last season. Opponents have yet to make contact against his low-80s slider this spring.<\/p>\n

Carmen Mlodzinki<\/p>\n

Carmen Mlodzinski<\/a> throwing his hat back into the ring<\/a> after struggling as a starting pitcher in 2025 was surprising. He made nine starts through the first two months of the season, working to a 5.67 ERA, 15.6% strikeout rate, and 6.7% walk rate. The right-hander surrendered five home runs in just 39 2\/3 innings of work. However, Mlodzinski was outright dominant after moving back to a long-relief\/opener role. He finished out 2025 with a 2.12 ERA, 25.5% K%, and 6.3% BB%. Mlodzinski allowed just three more longballs over his final 59.1 frames of \u201825. Overall, he allowed 11 fewer earned runs after moving back to a multi-inning role compared to his work as a starting pitcher.<\/p>\n

\"\"Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski (50) throws a pitch in the seventh inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. The Reds won, 2-1. Credit: \u00a9 Sam Greene\/The Enquirer \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

However, Mlodzinski is making a legitimately strong bid for the final rotation spot. He has also pitched 4 1\/3 innings, striking out five opponents along the way. Mlodzinski has allowed just two opponents to reach via the free pass. His splitter will be his key to sticking in the rotation. Last year, it was his most dominant pitch, holding batters to a .240 xwOBA and inducing a 43.1% whiff rate. He only used the pitch 15.2% of the time last year. Now, Mlodzinski has used the offering 30% of the time in spring training.<\/p>\n

Thomas Harrington<\/p>\n

Thomas Harrington<\/a> went into 2025 as a consensus top 100 prospect in all of baseball. Unfortunately, he wasn\u2019t able to capture a rotation spot last season. Harrington struggled at Triple-A, with a 5.34 ERA, 21.7% K%, and 8% BB%. His K% and BB% paled in comparison to his 2024 marks of 25.1% and 4.1%, respectively. He also saw his HR\/9 skyrocket from 0.69 to 1.88. Harrington also pitched 8 2\/3 innings in the Major Leagues, allowing 15 earned runs, 18 hits, and seven walks.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t sleep on Thomas Harrington. We dive into why 2026 could be his bounce-back year \ud83d\ude4c pic.twitter.com\/7FDcUSecjK<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Bucco Bantr (@BuccoBantr) February 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Harrington has only pitched in one game with two innings under his belt. Interestingly, he threw 13 sinkers in his spring debut. He didn\u2019t throw one sinkerball in his brief MLB cameo last year, and only used it sparingly at Triple-A. It was one of his more effective pitches at Indy last season, holding opponents to a zero percent barrel rate. Harrington is throwing the pitch with less vertical break as well. His sinker could be important to breaking out in 2026. Despite his struggles, Harrington should still be in the running for a rotation spot<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Jos\u00e9 Urquidy<\/p>\n

Jos\u00e9 Urquidy<\/a> is the one starter the Pirates signed to a major league deal this offseason<\/a>. The right-hander has missed parts of the last three seasons with shoulder injuries and Tommy John surgery. However, Urquidy owned a 3.74 ERA with a 20.3% K%, and microscopic 5.2% BB% in 343 innings from 2019 through 2022 with the Houston Astros. He had the 13th-lowest walk rate among qualified pitchers throughout these four seasons.<\/p>\n

Jose Urquidy goes up on Billy Cook with heat, then drops a nasty curveball for a strikeout. Urquidy has looked solid so far. pic.twitter.com\/fU4G7L8WuP<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jason Mackey (@JMackey_PGH) February 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Urquidy has only pitched 1 1\/3 innings in spring training thus far. All of his work came in one start. However, Urquidy did top out at 94.4 MPH in that one start. He didn\u2019t hit 94 MPH once in either of the two games he appeared in the major leagues. Urquidy was averaging just 92.1 MPH with his four-seamer for the Detroit Tigers\u2019 Triple-A affiliate, and has sat 93.1 MPH with the Pirates thus far.<\/p>\n

2026 Outlook<\/p>\n

As of right now, it looks as if Hunter Barco has the inside track for the final starting rotation spot. He has been dominant in spring training, his stuff looks good, and he likely fits better as a starter than Mlodzinski does. Barco is also a top 100 prospect. Harrington still has options remaining. That gives the Pirates some flexibility in how to use him. The Pirates can utilize Urquidy and Mlodzinski as multi-inning\/spot-starter bullpen options.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Main Photo Credit: \u00a9 Sam Navarro-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

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