Pirates Player Assigns Blame After 4th Straight Loss

Mark J&period; Rebilas-Imagn Images

Pirates Player Assigns Blame After 4th Straight Loss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Miracle Dimwesh | Last updated Aug 8, 2026 11:56 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates dropped their fourth straight game Friday night, and Carmen Mlodzinski didn't try to shift the blame elsewhere.

Making his first major league start in more than two months, Mlodzinski struggled as Pittsburgh fell 6-4 to the New York Mets. After the game, the right-hander accepted responsibility for the defeat as the Pirates' losing streak continued.

Speaking with Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Matt Press after the game, Mlodzinski acknowledged he didn't deliver when the club needed him most. Press shared the comments on X, where the pitcher said, "I definitely needed to step up today, and we needed to win today, and I wasn't able to do it."

Fourth consecutive loss for the Pirates, who continue to slide further away from postseason contention.

Carmen Mlodzinski after his rough start: “I definitely needed to step up today, and we needed to win today, and I wasn't able to do it.”

More: https://t.co/6TEp1DDXwx
— Matt Press (@MattPress23) August 8, 2026

The outing marked Mlodzinski's first start since late May after spending much of the summer pitching out of the bullpen. Asked to fill a rotation spot on short notice, he surrendered five earned runs on seven hits over three innings while throwing 63 pitches as Pittsburgh was forced to lean heavily on its bullpen once again.

The Pirates have continued to shuffle their rotation because of injuries, leaving Mlodzinski to take on a role he had not filled in months. Friday's outing highlighted the challenge of transitioning back into the rotation against a dangerous Mets lineup.

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly (12) Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Despite the difficult start, Mlodzinski has been one of Pittsburgh's more reliable arms this season. He now owns a 6-4 record with a 3.51 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP and 77 strikeouts, providing value in multiple roles throughout the year before returning to the rotation Friday.

The loss pushed the Pirates further behind in both the National League Central and Wild Card races. While Mlodzinski placed the responsibility for Friday's defeat on himself, Pittsburgh will now look to regroup and end its four-game skid as it tries to keep its postseason hopes alive.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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