Yardbarker
Yardbarker
x
Colin Holderman Thriving, Confident Rest of Bullpen Follows Suit
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Against the odds, Colin Holderman has been far and away the Pittsburgh Pirates’ best relief pitcher this season.

It’s not to say he’s not talented. Holderman has shown since joining the Pirates that he’s more than capable of getting outs and pitching in high-leverage situations. 

But Holderman’s season began on the injured list after a nasty illness resulted in a trip to the hospital while the Pirates were at spring training in Bradenton, Fla.

The lost time – and lost weight – hasn’t bothered Holderman through the first two months of the season.

“It was definitely a challenging experience this spring, a spring I didn’t want to have because I had a good offseason,” Holderman said. “I gained some good weight and ended up losing it. But honestly, just taking it a day at a time, how I feel and what I need to get ready.”

The flu that Holderman battled resulted in him losing 15 pounds. He credits his family as well as team trainers and nutritionists for getting him back up to speed without missing a beat. 

Holderman returned to the mound after he was activated off the injured list on Apr. 11 and he’s tweaked his arsenal which seems to have led to his success. 

Last season, Holderman relied primarily on his sinker with relatively even usage for his sweeper and cutter.

The 28-year-old battled a wrist issue last season which landed him on the injured list in June.

Holderman has changed the way he holds his sweeper, leading to him relying more on what’s become his best pitch. He’s throwing his sweeper just over half of the time this year.

“It was honestly just because the wrist last year, I had a little bit of issues with that,” Holderman explained. “Throwing the sweeper, my grip last year was causing some pain so we switched the grip up and I’m able to throw that pain-free now so we can kinda do more of a 50/50 mix.”

The results for the right-hander have been nothing short of spectacular this season. Through his first 17 appearances, he has a 0.55 ERA. He’s only been charged with one run which came in his season debut against the Phillies in Philadelphia.

When he’s not striking guys out, which he’s done 22 times in 16.1 innings, he has excelled at inducing weak contact. The humble Holderman credits his catchers as much as anything else with his success.

“We got (Yasmani Grandal) and (Joey Bart) back there calling great games. They’re seeing the whole game. They’re seeing swings and reading swings,” he said. “I’m doing my part as well, watching the game. Even just throughout the at-bat, you can kinda tell what hitters are on and we’ve just done a good job diagnosing hitters and executing the plan.”

Though Holderman has been at his best this season, the rest of the Pirates’ bullpen has not.

The Pirates rank 27th in bullpen ERA at 4.85. Outside of Holderman, seemingly every reliever has had his struggles at one point or another.

However, the current Pirates’ relief ace feels like the bullpen, which was viewed as a strength heading into the season, will live up to that potential.

“I have the ultimate confidence in our guys,” said Holderman. “I know who we are and what we’re able to do, so I’m excited to see it happen.”

Though the Pirates’ bullpen has struggled, the starting pitching has been excellent. Rookies Paul Skenes and Jared Jones figure to be squarely in the Rookie of the Year race. Mitch Keller has looked great after a so-so start to the season. And though he’s scuffled a bit and left Sunday’s game with a groin injury, Martín Pérez has given the Pirates some good innings.

Holderman knows that if the bullpen does indeed get on the right track, the pitching staff can carry this team deep into the season.

“If they’re doing what they’re doing and we’re staying fresh, it’s gonna be hard to get to us. If we keep this rolling, we’re gonna have a hot summer here.”

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Baseball Now and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

TODAY'S BEST

Cubs Have Another Breakout Hitting Prospect Rising Fast In Farm System Thanks To Consistent Bat
MLB

Cubs Have Another Breakout Hitting Prospect Rising Fast In Farm System Thanks To Consistent Bat

The Chicago Cubs have been dazzled by the progress of the bat of Moisés Ballesteros, who earned a call-up at 21 years old earlier this season. Turns out there is another Venezuelan prospect with similar credentials right behind him at Double-A Knoxville. Pedro Ramirez isn’t talked about as much in the Cubs’ system right now. As the Cubs’ system is among the best in baseball and features several highly respected hitters, it’s not unexpected to see the 21-year-old Ramirez get lost in the shuffle. Well, that’s changing. Recently, MLB Pipeline highlighted a breakthrough prospect for each team, one that was lightly thought of at the start of the season but has since broken through and risen quickly up each team’s Top 30 rankings. Ramirez was the selection for the Cubs, as he has risen to No. 7 this season. Pedro Ramirez’s Breakthrough Season Ramirez signed for $75,000 in 2021 as an international free agent, the same year his countryman, Ballesteros, signed a $1.2 million deal. While Ballesteros has risen quickly due to his power profile, Ramirez has had a steadier development, highlighted by a consistent slash since he started playing pro baseball in 2021. With Double-A Knoxville this season he has slashed .272/.344/.380 with seven home runs and 50 RBI. That’s what the Cubs organization has come to expect from the switch-hitting infielder, who can play second base and third base. In five seasons of minor league baseball, he’s finished a season batted .300 or better twice and has never had a slash line worse than the .266/.358/.404 he posted in 2023, which was his year with a full-season affiliate at Class-A Myrtle Beach. He may not have a lot of power, but he makes great contact, avoids strikeouts — he’s never had more than 100 in a season — and draws close to 50 walks per season. Those are the kind of number that help earn a player like Ramirez a shot at a Major League job, likely as a utility player to start. Cubs Top 10 Prospects Ramirez isn’t the only Cubs prospect to keep an eye on as the organization features several high-level prospects that are ready for the Major League, including No. 1 prospect and outfielder Owen Caissie per Pipeline. Caissie was the object of great speculation at the trade deadline, but the Cubs hung on to him and he remains at Triple-A Iowa waiting for either an injury or 2026 to make a full MLB debut. He could be a selection for a September call-up when rosters expand. Right behind him is Ballesteros, who made his MLB debut earlier this year and is back at Iowa. Shortstop Jefferson Rojas is No. 3 in the system and is playing at Double-A Knoxville. He can also play second base, but the Cubs are set at both positions with Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner, respectively. Another coveted trade piece, outfielder Kevin Alcántara, is No. 4 and playing at Iowa. Pitcher Jaxon Wiggins is ranked No. 5 and is also playing at Knoxville. He is another highly regarded prospect that could be ready next year. The highly versatile Jonathan Long, who can play both corner positions and outfield and is playing at Iowa, is No. 6. After Ramirez, right-handed pitcher Brandon Birdsell is No. 8 and pitching at Iowa, while No. 9 prospect and infielder James Triantos is also at Iowa. Middle infielder Cristian Hernandez, who is playing for High-A South Bend, rounds out the Top 10.

'Absolutely' - Browns Are Considering Surprising Quarterback Move
NFL

'Absolutely' - Browns Are Considering Surprising Quarterback Move

It's the Browns. When the Cleveland Browns drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders this April, they had a total of five quarterbacks on their roster between their incoming rookies, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and the injured Deshaun Watson. And despite the kind of confusing nature of their stockpiling so many QBs, it sounds like the team could double-down on the the decision by the time the regular season kicks off. According to The Athletic's Zac Jackson, "the Browns absolutely might keep all four quarterbacks" heading into Cleveland's season opener. While also adding, "No, Shedeur Sanders is not going to start Week 1 for the Browns. But he's put a lot of pressure on his coaches and fellow QBs headed into this week — the biggest week of training camp as the Browns head to Philly." Fans reacted to the reporter's update on X: "At this point it's not even a QB room anymore. It's a pitching rotation now," a user said. "One as a starter, One as a backup, One to hold on field goals, And one listed as a wide receiver for tax purposes," another commented. "[Shedeur Sanders] should be developed and shouldn't be thrown out there week 1 but he should be considered to be put over Gabriel and Pickett," a fan pointed out. "While also finally getting meaningful reps with the 1's." "I'm a Shedeur fan who wants Flacco to start with Shedeur at QB2," another person replied. "Sitting behind a veteran QB can be very valuable, and you know he'd be ready if he had to come off the bench. Just my .02." "This isn't unprecedented," another user posted. "The Patriots kept 4 QBs in the 2000 season. Worked out ok for them. Not saying there's a Brady in their QB room. But if they have 4 guys who they think are NFL worthy (even if none are QB1 right now), they can make it work." The Browns have been bitten by the injury bug thus far in camp with Pickett and Gabriel both dealing with ailments this preseason — opening up a window for Shedeur Sanders to earn his way up the depth chart. Sanders played well in Friday night's debut with a 14-of-23 performance for 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the way to a 30-10 win over Carolina. But head coach Kevin Stefanski says the team in "evaluation mode" when it comes to their QBs.

Cowboys exec has blunt message about Micah Parsons' trade request
NFL

Cowboys exec has blunt message about Micah Parsons' trade request

The Dallas Cowboys have not been able to come to an agreement with Micah Parsons on a long-term contract extension, but that does not mean the team has any plans to shop the star pass-rusher in trade talks. Parsons, who is making just over $24M in the final year of his rookie contract this season, publicly requested a trade from the Cowboys on Aug. 1. There have now been questions about whether he will report to work before Week 1. While Parsons has refused to practice in training camp, he traveled to Los Angeles with the Cowboys for their preseason game against the Rams on Saturday night. Before kickoff, Dallas executive vice president Stephen Jones said he was pleased with Parsons' decision to join the team. Jones also said the Cowboys "have no intention of trading Micah." It is a positive sign for the Cowboys that Parsons chose to be on the sideline for Saturday's exhibition game. The 26-year-old has also been with his teammates at training camp, though he has not been practicing. From a contractual standpoint, Parsons has very little leverage. He would have to forfeit game checks if he were to skip regular-season games, and his contract would eventually toll and carry over into 2026 if he were to sit out long enough. The Cowboys also still have the franchise tag available to use on Parsons in both 2026 and 2027. All Parsons can do is create a headache for the Cowboys, which has been a successful strategy for many players in the past. For what it's worth, a different Dallas star who had a contract standoff with the team last year believes the situation will eventually be resolved. Jones and his father, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, have made it clear that they will not entertain trade offers at this time. Parsons had 12 sacks in 13 games last season, so there is no question the team is better with him on the field. He has 52.5 sacks in 63 career games and is arguably the best pass-rusher in the NFL when healthy.

Lakers Trade Pitch Brings Back Beloved Former 3-&-D Wing
NBA

Lakers Trade Pitch Brings Back Beloved Former 3-&-D Wing

The Lakers came out of the very eventful 2024-25 NBA season with a bit of a mixed bag, as the team reset its future with the trade for Luka Doncic and, at the same time, was left bitterly disappointed with the five-game elimination at the hands of the Timberwolves in the Western Conference playoffs' opening round. They've tried to retool the roster with low-risk gambles on point guard Marcus Smart, center Deandre Ayton and wing Jake LaRavia, but fans who hoped for a star-caliber swing on the trade market have been disappointed. Ah, but there is time. And the estimable Jacob Rude of the SB Nation site, "Silver Screen and Roll," sees some potential deals that could yet bolster the Lakers. One is particularly interesting: Bringing back top 3-and-D wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is now with his fourth team (Memphis) since the Lakers traded him in the disastrous Russell Westbrook deal four years ago. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Trade Would Be Welcome Rude proposes trading away Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber to bring back KCP to the Lakers, a sentimental move, given that he never should have been forced to leave in the first place. Caldwell-Pope was a big factor in the Lakers winning the 2020 NBA "Bubble" championship during the Covid-19 pandemic. He writes: "Lakers fans have seen how well KCP plays next to stars firsthand. Even if his game has dropped off, he’s still a 3 D wing and you can never have too many of those. It’s a far more useful way for the Lakers to spend their money than on Vincent and Kleber. "With KCP having a player option for next season, the Lakers could save the Grizzlies some long-term money by sending them two expiring contracts. Gabe Vincent is a lot more expendable with the arrival of Marcus Smart while Maxi Kleber is the third center on the roster." Lakers Likely Done Trading (For Now) Still, the feeling around the Lakers is that the team is pretty much set as it is, and that no major trades are forthcoming until the season gets rolling. The Lakers have had opportunities to include the likes of Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt in trade packages already, but have declined to do so. 'They have not been attacking the trade market by any stretch of the imagination," one Western Conference executive said. "Most teams now are in a sort-of wait-and-see mode, and I would include the Lakers in that. They want to give it some time before they make a trade." Vincent averaged only 6.4 points per game last season, but the Lakers like him as a reliable veteran off the bench, with just one year at $11.5 million remaining on his contract. With the addition of Marcus Smart, though, Vincent could be more expendable as the year goes on. Vanderbilt has shown flashes, but he has not been able to stay on the floor--he has played only 91 games in two-plus seasons with the Lakers.