'Never a bad problem': Pirates use creative competition for young pitchers to earn starts

By treating every outing as an opportunity to earn a start, the Pittsburgh Pirates have gone from using creativity with their young pitchers into creating competition for the starting rotation.

Whether it was Johan Oviedo striking out five in four innings, Bubba Chandler touching triple digits seven times while tossing four more scoreless innings in pitching in tandem with Carmen Mlodzinski or Braxton Ashcraft facing a lineup for the third time, the Pirates have found that their pitchers are taking advantage of their turns.

“It’s something, a vibe we’re creating,” Chandler told SportsNet Pittsburgh in an in-game interview Thursday at St. Louis. “It’s never a bad problem to have a lot of good arms. That’s something that we have. I think we realize it. We come in every day with a purpose. We’re trying to get better and we’re trying our best to compete. Whichever way the cards fall, everyone is going to be happy for each other.”

Fueled by the frustration of a late August call-up, Chandler has been dominant in his first two major league appearances. The 22-year-old right-hander became the first Pirates pitcher to earn a four-inning save in his MLB debut, then record his first win in his next outing.

Chandler hasn’t allowed a run through his first eight innings, giving up three hits, two hit batsmen, one walk with six strikeouts while facing 29 batters. It’s not just the numbers that have impressed Pirates manager Don Kelly. Chandler also has a commanding presence on the mound.

“He’s attacking the strike zone, going after it and just allowing his stuff to play,” Kelly said Wednesday on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “Sometimes, it doesn’t look like he’s trying to do it. He’s being athletic, being that bulldog that we know he is. I’m looking forward to him continuing to attack in that way. You see the stuff. It’s electric. It’s elite. Allow it to play.”

While Kelly acknowledged that Chandler has dominated his outings the way the Pirates had challenged him to do, he hedged when asked if Chandler had done enough to earn a start. Kelly said it was “a little too soon to tell,” noting that the Pirates have daily discussions about “the fluidity of the rotation.”

While Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller are fixtures as starters — both on pace to make 32 starts this season — the other three spots in the rotation could be split between Ashcraft, Mike Burrows, Chandler, Mlodzinski and Oviedo.

The Pirates are closely monitoring the innings counts for all five, and with good reason. Oviedo made a 60-inning jump to 2023, when he logged a career-high 177 2/3 innings over 32 starts for the Pirates but required Tommy John surgery. After missing all of last season, he’s pitched 36 innings in 11 starts split between the majors and minors.

Burrows returned from Tommy John surgery to pitch 54 2/3 innings last year. He’s already doubled that total, with 109 innings, which is why the Pirates had him skip a start in St. Louis. After tossing 76 2/3 innings in 17 appearances (16 starts) for the Pirates this season, there’s a chance the 25-year-old righty could spend some time in the bullpen.

Mlodzinski started the season in the rotation before being sent to the minors, then returned to the Pirates to pitch out of their bullpen. He’s coming off a solid start Wednesday at St. Louis — allowing one run on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts in three innings — but has logged 99 2/3 innings this season after pitching a combined 69 in relief last year, split between the majors and minors.

Kelly noted how Ashcraft has filled a lot of roles, starting 14 games at Triple-A Indianapolis before moving into the bullpen for the Pirates. He’s made four consecutive starts, allowing a combined three earned runs on 11 hits with 20 strikeouts against three walks in 19 innings.

Chandler is following a similar introduction, pitching in bulk relief in his first two appearances for the Pirates. Where he started 24 games at Indianapolis — and 83 of his 89 career games — Chandler is adjusting to a new routine and “different feel” of coming into games out of the ‘pen.

“I’m not going to lie: It’s a challenge,” Chandler said. “It’s not something I’m really used to, but it’s an opportunity and I’m never going to complain about an opportunity. Hopefully, I make the most of it.”

The Pirates are counting on as much with plans to use the final month of the season as open auditions for the starting rotation going into next season in the hopes that it brings out the best in all of their pitchers.

“These guys are competing. They’re competing with and against. They’re going out there competing and pitching extremely well and making it tough on us,” Kelly said. “You look at the innings limits and what some of these guys have done in the past, as far as injuries. We have to make sure we’re taking care of them. It’s a really good problem to have. The future is bright for the Pirates and the pitching staff.”