The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bullpen Faces Challenges
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen has had a tough time throughout most of the 2026 season. Players who were key contributors in the previous year, such as Isaac Mattson and Justin Lawrence, have not performed to their usual standards. Additionally, Dennis Santana, who was the team’s closer during the second half of 2025, has shown some concerning signs. However, as summer begins, the Pirates’ bullpen is starting to show signs of improvement, with two rookie pitchers leading the way.
Wilber Dotel and Brandan Bidois Are Stabilizing the Pirates’ Bullpen
Dotel Takes a Load Off
Wilber Dotel made a name for himself last year at Double-A Altoona, where he posted a 4.15 ERA, 3.89 FIP, and 1.225 WHIP over 125 2/3 innings. He improved his performance by lowering his walk rate from 11.6% in 2024 to 8% in 2025. His strikeout percentage also increased from 22.8% to 24.5%, and his HR/9 dropped from 1.78 to 1.00. Although Dotel struggled through 23 2/3 innings at Triple-A Indianapolis this year, he has shown promise in his first major league appearance.
So far, the right-hander has allowed only two earned runs over his first 10 2/3 big league innings. In that time, Dotel has struck out ten batters and has only allowed three to reach base via a free pass. He has also allowed only six hits, one of which is a home run. His pitch velocity is impressive, sitting at 98.3 MPH. Dotel’s fastball benefits from his above-average, 69th percentile extension. His FanGraphs Stuff+ score is a quality mark of 105.
The Pirates have used Dotel in a multi-inning relief role. This is because he was a starter in the minor leagues, and the bullpen needs as many quality innings as possible. There is also the possibility that Dotel could eventually move into the major league rotation. This path is similar to how Braxton Ashcraft began his big league career as a long reliever/opener and later became one of the best starting pitchers in Major League Baseball.
Bidois is a Potential Future Closer
Brandan Bidois also had a significant breakout in 2025. The Australian right-hander remained healthy for an extended period, something that had not happened in his professional career since the Pirates signed him in September 2019. Bidois was dominant last year, posting a 0.74 ERA, 2.44 FIP, and 0.803 WHIP across all four full-season levels of the minor leagues. He recorded a 34.1% strikeout rate, and notably, did not allow a single home run. However, his 11.7% walk rate was a concern.
Like Dotel, Bidois did not start the 2026 season strongly at Triple-A Indy. However, his first seven MLB innings yielded just two earned runs, seven strikeouts, and only three walks. The two earned runs came off solo home runs.
Bidois possesses some of the best stuff in MLB already. His four-seamer sits between 97-98 MPH and has 19.7 inches of induced vertical break, which ranks 13th among any pitcher who has thrown at least 50 four-seamers this year. His Stuff+ score is currently 11th among any pitcher with at least five innings this year.
In contrast to Dotel, Bidois is more of a traditional reliever who is likely to remain in the bullpen long-term. However, his talent has the potential to make him a high-leverage, late-inning reliever. So far, the Pirates have assigned him to lower-leverage roles, with a leverage index of 0.30 (the average is 1.00). If Bidois continues to perform well, the Pirates will have no choice but to give him more important innings to work with.
A New Era for the Pirates’ Bullpen
With Dotel and Bidois performing well in the majors, the Pirates’ bullpen is beginning to stabilize. This means less pressure on players like Lawrence, and the opportunity to put Santana on hold until he regains his form. It also allows the team to close out games more frequently. Dotel’s presence enables the Bucs to get through two or three innings without using another bullpen arm, while Bidois provides another potential late-inning option working his way up the hierarchy. Things are starting to look positive for the Pirates’ pen.
