How Does Pirates’ Bullpen Stack Up Against National League’s Best? (+)
The Pittsburgh Pirates already had several returning relievers who impressed during the 2023 season.
Closer David Bednar was named an All-Star for the second-consecutive season and was tied for the National League-lead with 39 saves.
Rookie right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski burst onto the scene and finished with a 2.25 ERA across 35 relief appearances. Ryan Borucki emerged as a legitimate left-handed option after he was signed to a minor league deal early in the season.
Colin Holderman and Dauri Moreta each generated good results, and appear to have pitched even better than the surface-level numbers indicate when looking at the advanced metrics.
The bullpen looked like it would already be a strength for the Pirates for the upcoming season, and it now looks even stronger.
A source confirmed to Pittsburgh Baseball Now on Monday that the Pirates have agreed to a one-year, $10.5 million deal with veteran left-hander Aroldis Chapman, pending a physical. It’s the largest guarantee handed out by the Pirates under general manager Ben Cherington.
The deal gives the Pirates an imposing arm for the backend of the bullpen to help take some of the strain off of Bednar.
With a starting rotation still in question and a decent, yet unspectacular lineup in place, the bullpen looks like it will be the Pirates’ bread and butter in 2024.
How does it stack up against the rest of the National League?
Last year, the Pirates were 10th in the Senior Circuit with a 4.27 ERA from their relievers. Not an earthshattering mark, but a fairly respectable number nonetheless. With the addition of Chapman and a full year out of the younger pitchers in the Pirates’ pen, those numbers are sure to improve.
Of the relievers who carved out significant roles with Pittsburgh last season, three posted sub-3.00 ERAs — Bednar (2.00), Mlodzinski (2.25) and Borucki (2.45). Chapman was just above the threshold with a 3.09 ERA. Moreta finished the year with a 3.72 ERA, but a 2.93 FIP. For Holderman, a 3.86 ERA and a 3.29 FIP.
Based off of those numbers, the core of the Pirates’ bullpen stacks up well agaisnt the rest of the National League.
The Milwaukee Brewers (3.40), Los Angeles Dodgers (3.42) and Philadelphia Phillies (3.58) were far and away the best bullpens in the National League a season ago.
The Brewers’ bullpen consists of non-household names outside of star closer Devin Williams. The emergence of former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bryse Wilson helped Milwaukee finish the season with the top bullpen.
Based off of FIP, the Pirates’ bullpen, which posted a mark of 4.09, is already due for better results, whereas the Brewers’ bullpen (4.02 FIP) looks due for some level of regression.
The Dodgers and Phillies are both returning the majority of their bullpens in 2024 and again will be a strength for each team.
The Atlanta Braves, who finished fifth in the National League last season with a 3.81 bullpen ERA, have prioritized improving their relief core this offseason. Atlanta brought back midseason acquisitions Joe Jiménez and Pierce Johnson. They also acquired left-hander Aaron Bummer from the Chicago White Sox and signed righty Reynaldo López to a three-year contract.
It’s no coincidence that all four of those teams reached the postseason last year and expect to be in the thick of things again in 2024.
The other team that finished in the top five in the N.L. in bullpen ERA last year was the San Diego Padres, who lost Josh Hader, Nick Martinez and Luis García in free agency this offseason.
Will the Pittsburgh Pirates be vying for a playoff spot? They could, theoretically, but it’s certainly much more of a longshot than the Dodgers, Phillies and Braves.
Still, it’s not crazy to say that the Pirates have one of the better bullpen units in the National League heading into next season. They have six seemingly reliable arms to call upon when needed.
That’s a nice luxury for manager Derek Shelton.
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