The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced that pitcher Colin Holderman has completed his rehab assignment and will rejoin them on Saturday. Holderman had been placed on the injured list on April 6 with a right knee sprain. To make room for him on the active roster, Mike Burrows was returned to Triple-A Indianapolis.
We have ended the rehab assignment of RHP Colin Holderman and reinstated him to the Major League roster from the 15-day injured list.
Following last night’s game, RHP Mike Burrows was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 26, 2025
Holderman Rejoins Pirates from IL
The right-hander Holderman began the season as the Pirates eighth inning specialist out of the bullpen. He’s had a rough go of it in five games in 2025, during which he surrendered five runs in 4 2/3 innings and blew two saves. It’s unknown what role the injury may have played in his early ineffectiveness. Holderman has gamely tried to pitch through injuries before. In 2024, he had a 1.67 ERA as of July 24. Then he suffered a brutal five-game stretch where he gave up nine earned runs in 4 1/3 innings, blew two saves, and was charged with four losses. Finally, on August 8, he was placed on the IL with a right wrist sprain. He regained his effectiveness when he returned in September, during which his ERA was 1.93.
The Pirates would welcome a similar return to form from Holderman. It will be interesting to see whether manager Derek Shelton thrusts him back into a high-leverage role right away or has him first prove he can pitch effectively again, as Shelton did with David Bednar upon Bednar’s return from Triple-A. In Bednar’s case, it appears to have paid off. He earned a save in Friday’s 3-0 victory over the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
Burrows’s time with the Pirates, which began when he was called up on Thursday among a flurry of roster moves, amounted to the proverbial cup of coffee, as the saying goes, only in this case, he wasn’t around long enough to tell the barista whether he wanted cream and sugar. The 25-year-old right-hander is the Pirates’ No. 15 prospect. So far, the numbers in Triple-A haven’t dazzled, as he’s given up seven runs in 14 2/3 innings. He’ll likely move back into Indy’s rotation.
Main Photo Credits: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
