The Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen has struggled for the most part of 2026. Arms they relied on heavily last year, like Isaac Mattson and Justin Lawrence, have not performed nearly as well as they did last year. Their closer during the second half of 2025, Dennis Santana, has shown some red flags. However, as we head into the first month of summer, the Pirates’ bullpen is beginning to take shape, and leading that charge are two rookie flamethrowers. Those players include Wilber Dotel and Brandan Bidois.
Wilber Dotel And Brandan Bidois are Stabilizing the Pirates Bullpen
Dotel Takes a Load Off
Dotel broke out last year at Double-A Altoona, posting a 4.15 ERA, 3.89 FIP, and 1.225 WHIP over 125 2/3 innings. He lowered his walk rate from 11.6% in 2024 to just 8% in 2025. On top of that, his K% also rose from 22.8% to 24.5%, and his HR/9 dropped from 1.78 to 1.00. Although Dotel has struggled through 23 2/3 innings at Triple-A Indianapolis this year, he has looked very promising so far in his first look at the major league level.
The right-hander has only allowed two earned runs over his first 10 2/3 big league frames. In that time, Dotel has struck out ten batters and has only allowed three to reach via a free pass. Dotel has also allowed only six hits, one of which is a home run. His stuff looks outstanding, sitting at 98.3 MPH. Dotel’s heater plays up even more because of his above-average, 69th percentile extension. His FanGraphs Stuff+ comes in at a quality mark of 105.
Wilber Dotel’s 2Ks in the 8th pic.twitter.com/auxPr0eFry
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 25, 2026
The Pirates have used Dotel in a multi-inning relief role. After all, he was a starter in the minor leagues, and the bullpen needs as many quality innings as possible. Plus, you can’t rule out Dotel eventually moving into the major league rotation. That is how Braxton Ashcraft began his big league career as a long reliever/opener in his first call-up, and has now become one of the best starting pitchers in Major League Baseball.
Bidois is a Potential Future Closer
Bidois also had a massive breakout in 2025. The Australian right-hander stayed healthy for an extended period of time for the first time in his pro career since the Pirates signed him in September 2019. Bidois was lights out last year, pitching to a 0.74 ERA, 2.44 FIP, and 0.803 WHIP between all four full-season levels of the minor leagues. Bidois struck out plenty of batters, with a 34.1% K%. Impressively, he did not allow a single home run. However, his 11.7% walk rate did not wow anyone.
Like Dotel, Bidois also did not get off to a fantastic start at Triple-A Indy to open 2026. However, his first seven MLB frames have yielded just two earned runs, seven K’s, and only three walks. The two earned runs Bidois has surrendered both came off solo shots. Bidois has some of the best stuff in MLB already. His four-seamer sits 97-98 MPH, and comes in with 19.7 inches of induced vertical break, which is the 13th highest among any pitcher who has thrown at least 50 four-seamers this year. His 120 Stuff+ is currently the 11th best among any pitcher with at least five innings this year.
“G’DAY MATE!”
Brandan Bidois has 3 strikeouts, 0 hits, and 0 walks in 1.2 IP tonight (2.57 ERA this year) pic.twitter.com/HxBj751csI
— Platinum Key (@PlatinumKey13) May 27, 2026
In contrast to Dotel, Bidois is a more traditional reliever who likely will remain in the bullpen in the long run. However, his stuff has the upside of a high-leverage, late-inning reliever. So far, the Pirates have only tasked him with handling lower-leverage assignments. His leverage index comes in at just 0.30 (average leverage is 1.00). But if he keeps pitching well, the Pirates will have no choice but to give him some more important innings to work with.
However, the Pirates’ bullpen is starting to stabilize itself. Dotel and Bidois pitching well in the major leagues means less innings for Lawrence, the Pirates can put Santana on the back burner until he figures things out, and can close out close games more frequently. Dotel on board means the Bucs can get through two or three innings at a time without having to waste another bullpen arm, and Bidois means the Pirates have another potential late-inning arm working his way up the totem pole. Things are starting to trend in the right direction for the Bucs’ pen.
Main Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
