Pirates Pitcher Takes Step Toward Return

Holderman went on the 15-day Injured List on May 20 with thumb inflammation and Pirate senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said back on May 21 that Holderman had right thumb tenosynovitis.

Tenosynovitis is inflammation of the thin layer of tissue, or synovial membrane, which surrounds the tendons. Tomczyk said that it makes it really hard gripping and throwing a baseball.

Holderman saw Dr. Don Sheridan in Arizona during the series against the Diamondbacks, May 26-28, and received a cortisone injection, which kept him throwing for seven days until early June.

Tomczyk said on June 11 that Holderman had resumed throwing and reacted well to that injection. He also said on June 23 that Holderman threw 50-55 pitches in a three-inning simulated game down in Florida.

Holderman has had a poor 2025 campaign with the Pirates, with a 9.00 ERA over 14 appearances and 15.0 innings pitched, blown two save opportunities, 11 strikeouts to 11 walks and an opposing batting average of .345.

He had a bad start to the season as well, with a 9.64 ERA in his first five appearances with five runs over 4.2 innings pitched and two blown saves in the first series vs. the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park.

Holderman went on the 15-day Injured List on April 6 with a right knee sprain, as the Pirates recalled right-handed pitcher Chase Shugart from Triple-A Indianapolis.

He started his rehab assignment with Indianapolis on April 19 and allowed a solo home run in 1.2 innings of work for a 5.40 ERA in two appearances.

The Pirates activated Holderman from the 15-day Injured List on April 26 and brought him back to the MLB roster.

Holderman again struggled in this recent period with the Pirates, with an 8.71 ERA over nine appearances and 10.1 innings pitched, with seven walks to five strikeouts, two home runs and 10 earned runs allowed.

His first bullpen appearance back against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium on April 26 saw him take a 4-4 game and allow the go-head solo home to Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernández.

He allowed two more runs in that appearance after left-handed pitcher Joey Wentz gave up a three-run home run to Dodgers pinch-hitter Enrique Hernández in the 8-4 defeat.

Holderman had two poor outings in his last two appearances. He allowed two runs vs. the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 16, which tied the game and eventually an 8-4 defeat for the Pirates. He also gave up three runs in a 7-1 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds on May 19.

The Pirates currently have a bullpen consisting of right-handed pitchers Braxton Ashcraft, David Bednar, Isaac Mattson, Carmen Mlodzinski, Dennis Santana and Chase Shugart, plus left-handed pitchers in Caleb Ferugson and newly aquired Génesis Cabrera.