Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Bubba Chandler made his first career start on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers, and it did not go well.
The former top pitching prospect got lit up for nine runs and nine hits in just 2 2/3 innings, suffering his first career loss in a 10-2 blowout. He also allowed three walks in the outing, causing his ERA to soar to 7.36 as the Brewers finished their sweep of the Pirates at PNC Park.
On the other side, Jacob Misiorowski was fantastic for Milwaukee. The 23-year-old Brewers rookie fired seven innings of one-run ball, limiting Pittsburgh to just three hits and two walks while racking up eight strikeouts.
After the game, Misiorowski shared some advice for Chandler with reporters.
“I think the biggest thing is just keep going. I had a few rough ones, but you’re here for a reason so you’re gonna figure it out. Just keep going,” he said.
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Misiorowski, who debuted in June and outdueled Paul Skenes earlier this year, has been mostly excellent over his first 12 career starts, going 5-2 with a 4.09 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 55 innings. He was named to the National League All-Star team after just five starts — an MLB record.
However, he’s already endured a couple of poor performances as well, giving up five runs in two separate outings. He bounced back in his next start both times, so the key is for Chandler to put Sunday’s shellacking behind him and turn the page.
Milwaukee has the best record in baseball at 89-55, so there’s no shame in losing to a good team. Chandler had success out of the bullpen before making his first start, going 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and a save over his first three appearances, so hopefully that helps him regain his confidence.
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It’s unclear when the 22-year-old righty will pitch again, but he could make his next start against the Washington Nationals this weekend. That would be a much easier matchup for him, as the Nationals are last in the NL East and have the third-worst record in baseball at 58-84.
More Pirates: Pirates’ Bubba Chandler Will Make First Career Major League Start
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