Bubba Chandler Earns First Career Major League Win

When Bubba Chandler takes the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he doesn’t look out of place at all.

On Wednesday, he took the mound in the fourth inning with the Pirates down a run and dominated for four innings, striking out four while allowing just one hit, leaving the game with a lead.

Chandler pounded the zone with high fastballs, for about 70% strikes. 22 of his 33 pitches were 98 mph or greater. Hitters swung and missed eight times. While his secondary pitches aren’t entirely polished yet, the fastball is as good as any in the majors, and the foundation for an excellent starting pitcher.

It’s not as if his secondary pitches are useless, either. He used his changeup effectively against lefties, spotting it on the arm side consistently. The pitch returned two whiffs on 12 offerings, as well as three outs on softly hit balls. Pirates manager Don Kelly was impressed with the rookie.

“You know what? I’m just really proud of him. He’s attacking the strike zone and going after it and allowing his stuff to play. Which sometimes, it doesn’t look like he’s trying to do it; he’s just out there, he’s being athletic, he’s being that bulldog that we know he is. Just looking forward to him continuing to attack in that way. You see the stuff. It’s electric. It’s elite,” Kelly said.

It wasn’t just Kelly who was impressed. Tommy Pham gave the Pirates’ prospect high praise as well.

“He reminds me of me in Little League. Just going out there, dominating,” Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham joked after the game.

Chandler has had an unorthodox beginning to his career. He earned a save in his first outing and the win in his second. According to Ethan Fisher of Fansided, it’s the first time a pitcher has recorded a win and a save in his first two appearances since Mickey Weston in 1989. He’s the fourth Pirate to accomplish that feat and the first since 1938.

Isaac Mattson and Dennis Santana combined to keep the St. Louis Cardinals off the board in the final two innings, securing the Pirates’ 2-1 victory.

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