Should Pirates Do With Colin Holderman What They Did With David Bednar?

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are already down one of the key components of their bullpen entering the season.

The Pirates made the somewhat surprising, though justifiable decision to option two-time All-Star closer David Bednar to Triple-A Indianapolis on the first of the month after continued struggles to start the season.

Bednar took two loses and was scored upon in each of his three outings to begin the year before he packed his bags for Indianapolis.

In Bednar’s absence, Colin Holderman could be viewed as the natural successor to be the team’s closer, but the right-hander has had struggles of his own.

Holderman’s rut continued in the Pirates’ 10-4 loss to the New York Yankees on Saturday at PNC Park.

After five-straight batters reached against starter Bailey Falter, Holderman entered the game with runners on first and second, nobody out and Aaron Judge due up.

Holderman plunked Judge to load the bases. Two batters later, Anthony Volpe drove home all three runners by lining a double to left-center field, turning a 5-4 game into an insurmountable 8-4 deficit.

“He comes in and the first sweeper looks like it slipped out of his hand and hit Judge,” said manager Derek Shelton. “Then really executed pitches to Jazz (Chisholm Jr.). Then it looked like he left a cutter up to Volpe for the three-run double, just missed up and over the plate. Not the right location.”

Through his first five appearances on the season, Holderman has allowed five runs on six hits in 4.2 innings, good for a 9.64 ERA.

The Pirates have tasked Holderman with handling big moments, and it was again the case on Saturday despite his appearance coming in the fifth inning.

Shelton said they’re trying to find a spot to get him back on track.

“That’s the fifth inning today. It wasn’t the seventh and eighth. We’re trying to find him a spot maybe earlier in the game to get him going. We’ve got to figure out a way to get him going.”

Holderman has been in this situation before.

Last year, he couldn’t have started off better. After a brief stint on the injured list to begin the year, Holderman owned a miniscule 0.68 ERA through his first 28 appearances out of the bullpen.

But a month-long stretch from early July to the beginning of August inflated his season ERA to 3.43. He landed on the injured list again but returned in early September, finishing the year strong. Over his final 11 appearances, he only allowed two runs in 9.2 innings.

Holderman is using the experience as a way of assuring himself he can get through this year’s funk.

“I don’t think that it’s something I can’t get through. I’ll be just fine,” he explained. “I’m taking it one day at a time. I know my stuff is good. I’m punching a lot of people out right now, and that’s always a good sign for my stuff.”

The 29-year-old remains confident in himself and that he will be able to navigate his early-season struggles.

“It’s something I’ve got to figure out. No one cares more than I do, and I’m going to keep going, and I’m gonna fix it.”

But the Pirates had a short leash on Bednar before they decided it would be best if he worked through his issues in the minor leagues. One can only wonder if the same fate will follow Holderman. He does have the ability to be optioned if the Pirates choose.

Imagining the Pirates’ bullpen without Bednar or Holderman this early in the season is almost unimaginable, but it’s at least possible.

The Pirates will need to see turnarounds from both Holderman and Bednar if they want to overcome a sluggish 2-7 start to the season. The bullpen was already vulnerable given last year’s struggles and the loss of Aroldis Chapman in free agency.

Until then, the losses could continue to pile up.