Overview
- The Pirates placed right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski on the restricted list on Sunday after removing him from the starting rotation when Jared Jones returned to the big-league staff.
- Pittsburgh recalled right-hander Cam Sanders from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill Mlodzinski’s active roster spot and opened a 40-man roster vacancy during the restricted-list absence.
- General manager Ben Cherington told reporters the club made the restricted-list move because Mlodzinski "wasn’t ready to" pitch that day rather than as a disciplinary action.
- Mlodzinski was reinstated during Monday’s off day and told MLB.com he did not request a trade and will be available to pitch out of the bullpen on the upcoming road trip.
- The episode highlights a tension between a player wanting a starting role and the team prioritizing rotation composition; Mlodzinski remains under team control through 2029 so his leverage is limited and future changes would likely stem from injuries or further roster need.