Pirates' Bubba Chandler Optimistic After Tough Rookie Season
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DETROIT — Bubba Chandler represents the future potential of the Pittsburgh Pirates rotation, but the present hasn't been so kind to him.
Chandler finished his rookie season with one of his worst starts: lasting just 2 2/3 innings and giving up six runs in the 8-7 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Sept. 25.
The 2.2 innings tied for the shortest outing of his career, and the six runs tied for the most he gave up in an outing this season.
It was a rough ending to the 2026 season, where Chandler has struggled, but also showed why he can eventually make the Pirates' rotation one of the best in baseball.
Chandler Disappointed in Tigers Start
It wasn't the worst start to his outing for Chandler, who retired the side in the first inning and got the first two outs of the second inning.
Chandler struggled with two outs in both the second and third innings, with all six runs scoring.
He gave up a two-run single in the second inning, then didn't get help with defense in the third inning, two runs scoring on a triple that right fielder Jake Mangum missed on a dive and on a strikeout, that should've been the final out, but ran past catcher Rafael Flores Jr.
"Just kind of disappointed," Chandler said on his start. "Put together a pretty good second half, and like you said, like kind of just pisses me off. But kind of like it. Going into the offseason [with] a sour taste in my mouth isn't a bad thing. Yeah, just pitched really bad tonight.
Chandler also struggled with a loss in velocity, with his four-seam fastball and changeup both down two ticks.
It's been a long season for Chandler, so a loss in velocity isn't too surprising, but he didn't make any excuses for his outing.
"Last start of the year. Pretty tired, but it's no excuse," Chandler said. "Still got to execute stuff and find ways to make stuff happen. I didn't give up really hard contact and just kind of would walk a guy, and then they would squeak something and kind of steamrolled, but."
Chandler Shares Optimism For the Future
Chandler completed his rookie season and can look ahead to his future with the Pirates in 2027 and beyond.
He finished with an 8-10 record over 30 starts and 31 appearances, a 4.62 ERA over 154.0 innings pitched, 140 strikeouts to 80 walks, a .234 BAA and a 1.40 WHIP in 2026.
It wasn't the season that Chandler wanted to have, as he struggled with command and finding consistency between starts as he adjusted to major league hitting.
Chandler did take pride in finishing the entire season, that the first season is the toughest and that he can look towards the best pitchers and see how they improved and dealt with adversity.
"It's kind of what I took away. In the moment, I was very mad," Chandler said on his season. "Kind of like when I got up here, I just sat and looked back. My first start was in Cincinnati this year. I thought, I, numbers-wise, pitched a lot better this year. A lot more to that. I don't even know how many starts I made, but I know I made every single one of them.
"That's a testament to our trainers and a testament to me. I didn't feel good every start. I didn't feel good for half the starts, but going out there, trying to execute, trying to compete - that's all you can ask for, and I'm proud of myself that I did that.
"It's my first year, and it's no excuse, but it was hard. Too many I went home just thinking, 'this isn't for me,' and I think everybody's had that at some point. Maybe not Paul is his first year, but I think most people, their first full season, they feel the struggle. The struggle never ends."
"Verlander is retiring tomorrow. That dude's had bad seasons; that dude's had bad spurts. He's one of the best pitchers of all time. I think just kind of thinking that -- it doesn't get easier but it gets more comfortable. I just really wasn't comfortable for most of the year. That's really what kind of pisses me off.
"I know what I've got to do to get more comfortable, and I got a checklist of what I need to do this offseason heading into spring or whatever the hell we've got going on. Yeah, proud of the guys. I thank them for fighting for me."
Chandler pitched better in the second half of 2026, posting a 5-2 record, a 4.37 ERA, 55 strikeouts to 25 walks, and better starts overall.
It's easy for any young pitcher to lose focus and pay attention to criticism all around him instead of those in his closest circle.
Chandler admitted he had his issues earlier in the year with that, but realized that perfection isn't possible and that he needed to make baseball the sport he fell in love wih again.
"I mean, yeah. Kind of stopped listening to the media and listening to everybody else and tried to focus on the 25 guys in here and the coaches and staff we've got.
"I wasn't having any fun earlier in the year. It's a freaking game. We're supposed to have fun. We get paid money, but you're supposed to have fun when you're doing it. Giving up a run, it's not the worst thing in the world. There's worse s--- going on.
"I think once I kind of realized that was OK, life got a little better, showing up to the field was actually a little more fun. I hate to say that because this is a dream, but it takes a toll on you sometimes."
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.