Questionable Pirates Demotion Leaves Uncertainty in Back of Bullpen

Brandan Bidois Among Several Pirates Optioned to Triple-A

A Dominant Spring Training

So far, Bidois has shown impressive talent in spring training. It’s only been 2 2/3 innings, but he has struck out five opponents and has only allowed one free pass. He was sitting mid-to-upper-90s with his fastball, topping out at 98.6 MPH. His four-seamer also had plus movement, with just 9.7 inches of drop, and 5.6 inches of arm-side run. The Australian right-hander also averaged around 2340 RPM of spin on his fastball. Both his slider and change-up looked like quality pitches as well.

Impressive Breakout Campaign

Obviously, 2 2/3 quality innings in which he flashed plus stuff isn’t why sending Bidois to Triple-A is questionable. He was also outright dominant last year in his breakout campaign. In 61 innings, the right-hander worked to the tune of a 0.61 ERA, 0.803 WHIP, and 2.44 FIP. Bidois had a 30% K% and didn’t allow a single home run. His 11.7% walk rate may not be very impressive, but his K-BB% still came in at 18.3%.

Bidois’ 2025 performance earned him a 40-man roster spot. He had previously been Rule 5 draft eligible, but was not selected in previous drafts. However, after being the only pitcher in the minor leagues with a sub-1.00 ERA and WHIP over 60+ innings, it’s safe to say that he would have been picked and that he earned that roster spot. Bidois also pitched at three different levels of the minor leagues. He saw playing time at Greensboro, Altoona, and Indianapolis.

What the Roster Looks Like Now

However, with Bidois out of the picture, the last spots in the Pirates’ bullpen become a much fiercer competition. As of right now, Dennis Santana, Justin Lawrence, Gregory Soto, Isaac Mattson, and Mason Montgomery are guaranteed bullpen roles for the Pirates this season. The Pirates will likely carry one multi-inning reliever. Thomas Harrington was also sent to minor league camp, which leaves José Urquidy, Carmen Mlodzinski, and top prospect Hunter Barco in the running for the fifth rotation spot and multi-inning relief role.

The Pirates could carry all three of Urquidy, Mlodzinski, and Barco, with two of the three going to the bullpen. However, this may not be feasible if the Pirates opt to go north with two of the three and a single-inning reliever. That leaves Yohan Ramírez and Evan Sisk as the remaining players. Between the two, Ramírez is the more likely to get an Opening Day roster spot. He has no options left, while the Pirates can still send Sisk to Triple-A.

Going north with Bidois as part of the team’s active roster would have been the best choice. He is their best relief pitching prospect, and he has done everything to earn an Opening Day roster spot. Bidois could be one of the Pirates’ best relievers by the end of the season. He’ll surely get a chance later this year, but if the Pirates wanted to assemble the best bullpen possible, they wouldn’t have sent him to minor league camp right now.