How Pirates GM Addressed Possible Bubba Chandler Promotion

Pittsburgh Pirates fans are still awaiting Bubba Chandler’s highly anticipated arrival. General manager Ben Cherington discussed the prized pitching prospect’s future.

Chandler has spent the entire 2025 season in Triple-A, where he’s posted a 3.69 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 92 2/3 innings. The 22-year-old recently admitted it’s “frustrating” that he hasn’t gotten an opportunity to help the big league club yet.

Cherington addressed the topic during his weekly Sunday radio show on 93.7 The Fan, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He indicated that Chandler could still reach the majors this season.

“It’s still our desire to see him in Pittsburgh,” Cherington said. “I’ll still bet on that happening at some point.”

The Pirates created a rotation vacancy by trading Bailey Falter to the Kansas City Royals, but they’ve since turned to Braxton Ashcraft and Johan Oviedo. Cherington insisted he’s waiting for a need to arise and for Chandler to make a more compelling case for a call-up.

“We’re not going to force someone out of a spot just to do it, unless there’s a reason to,” Cherington continued. “If someone’s here, they’re doing their job, performing well, we don’t want to do that just to do it. And then the player, in this case Bubba and there may be others, has to do their part and tell us that they’re ready for it.”

Chandler has hardly forced Cherington’s hand with his recent results. The power pitcher has allowed 31 hits, 11 walks and 18 runs in his last five starts. He surrendered eight baserunners and three runs over four more shaky innings on Sunday.

Cherington delivered a glass-half-full perspective on Chander’s rough patch.

“To some degree, I believe the challenges that he’s gone through, long-term, will end up being helpful,” Cherington said. “I always feel a little better when a player experiences some adversity in the minor leagues before they do so in the major leagues, because you know it will happen in the major leagues. So in some ways, it doesn’t bother me that he’s been challenged a little bit.”

Cherington and the Pirates organization still have high hopes for MLB.com’s No. 4 prospect.

“He’s incredibly important to our future,” Cherington said. “He’s got a chance to be a very, very good starting pitcher.”

More MLB: Pirates’ Minor League Affiliate Continued Dominant Season With 27-Run Game