BRADENTON, Fla. — Bubba Chandler cruised through his first three major league games, earning a four-inning save in his debut and wins in his next two appearances before the Milwaukee Brewers dealt the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher his first blowout.
The Brewers scored nine runs on nine hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings against Chandler in a 10-2 win on Sept. 7, an outcome that would have crushed the confidence of most rookies. When Don Kelly approached Chandler to talk about it two days later in Baltimore, the Pirates manager was surprised by his reaction.
“He had already forgotten about (the start), put himself past that and continued to work on going back out there,” Kelly said. “And then his outing in Washington was unbelievable.”
Chandler followed with five perfect innings in a seven-strikeout performance against the Nationals, flashing bold bravado and a triple-digit fastball. It’s a combination that makes the 23-year-old right-hander one of the game’s top prospects.
“Bubba responds really well when he gets punched in the face,” said Pirates ace Paul Skenes, the 2025 National League Cy Young winner. “That’s Bubba. That’s what you’re going to get. That’s not going to say he’s going to ride the wave. When guys get called up, they kind of do ride the wave, but the waves are going to be smaller for him going forward. The proverbial punch in the face is going to be a lot less than giving up nine runs.”
Chandler credits Kelly for that batting practice chat in Baltimore, where he checked in and offered reassurance: “He was like, ‘Who cares? You’re getting the ball again in a couple days. Go out there and pitch how you can pitch,’” Chandler said. “I had the support of my manager … to go out there and dominate the next game, and I did that.
“It goes to show the kind of man that DK is. He’s the right man to lead us. I’ll remember that conversation probably the rest of my life. It set me on a better path to finish the year.”
Chandler finished with a 4-1 record, 4.02 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 31 1/3 innings over seven appearances (four starts), with 31 strikeouts against four walks and two home runs allowed. Subtract the start against the Brewers, and he had a 1.57 ERA in his other six appearances.
That’s why this spring training has such a different feeling for Chandler, who is positioned to earn a spot in the Pirates’ starting rotation. Last year, his hopes of winning a starting role were dashed when the Pirates signed veteran left-hander Andrew Heaney to a one-year contract in late February, during the first week of big league camp.
Chandler shared that he was excited about the signing of Heaney because he was a World Series champion. Upon reflection, he’s grateful that he got to pick Heaney’s brain about preparing to pitch in every circumstance when they were in the bullpen together late last season.
Chandler is cocksure enough to believe he would have been the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft had he remained a dangerous dual-threat quarterback at Clemson instead of accepting the Pirates’ $3 million over-slot bonus as a 2021 third-round pick to play professional baseball.
“That’s what I like to tell people,” Chandler said with a chuckle. “It would’ve taken me three years, but I’d be the first overall pick, probably won a couple playoff games and won a Super Bowl.”
Chandler is humble enough to admit that Mike Burrows and Braxton Ashcraft deserved promotions to the majors before him, and that the mid-summer struggles he endured while waiting at Triple-A Indianapolis only taught him a valuable lesson.
“I learned patience last year,” Chandler said. “I’m glad I learned it at a young age. Every stop I made in the minor leagues, I pitched well and moved up quickly. I never had to have any real adversity — there’s adversity within starts, but nothing is out of your hand. … I started off hot and pitched a little worse than I’m capable of. I had a rough stretch there, but I’m glad I did. I don’t think I would’ve finished the year the way I did if I didn’t have some crappy weeks and months.”
Chandler’s first week in the majors was historic, as he pitched eight scoreless innings in his first two outings. Chandler earned the four-inning save in a 9-0 win over the Colorado Rockies in his debut Aug. 22, then got the win in a 2-1 victory at the St. Louis Cardinals.
He didn’t allow a run until his third appearance, against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chandler faced a 3-1 count but threw a 99.2-mph heater that Shohei Ohtani smacked over the Clemente Wall at 120-mph exit velocity for his 46th home run of the season. Not only was it his first home run allowed but the first run he surrendered as a major leaguer.
“Up until that point, I was hitting every pitch, or at least very close. I missed a spot and I paid for it,” Chandler said. “It was like, ‘God bless. These guys are good. You better be dialed in.’ Shohei’s a really good player, but if you’re a 9-hole hitter on a big league team, you’re still a major league baseball player and still really good. Every guy is going to make you pay for your mistakes.”
Chandler made Ohtani pay in his next at-bat, breaking his bat on a groundout. It was emblematic of Chandler’s competitive fire and how he responds to adversity by digging deeper. It’s an attitude he’s carried into spring training, as Chandler battles for a spot on the Opening Day roster.
“He’s got a little more confidence in not just his ability but his routine,” Pirates veteran starter Mitch Keller said. “I don’t think he’s ever had to worry about confidence in what he’s doing. He’s more comfortable in his routine, got a little bit more of an idea that he can slow it down during his workdays. He looks great.”
And Chandler is treating every day of big league camp as a chance to get better. He struck out 19-year-old phenom Konnor Griffin on three pitches in a live batting practice Wednesday, showing that his confidence hasn’t wavered but instead increased with every performance. Chandler has vowed that his goal is to get better every day.
“That’s exactly it,” Skenes said. “He’s more sure of himself. He has more awareness of what he needs to do. He has more of a plan and a better plan. That’s not saying he had a bad plan last year; as you do it longer, you have more awareness of what you have to do and you get a better plan and routine. So it’s been fun to watch.”
