Pirates Promote Mike Burrows Over Bubba Chandler: Did Pittsburgh Get It Backward?

Despite Bubba Chandler's dominant AAA numbers, the Pirates opted to call up Mike Burrows—here’s why that decision raises eyebrows.

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Mike Burrows (53) follows through on a pitch against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

So, I have this fantasy team that desperately needs an upgrade in starting pitching. I draft-and-hold my “the next big pitching thing” in the minors. After 16 starts at AAA in 2024 and 2025, my investment goes 6-1 with a 2.00 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 110 strikeouts over 76.2 innings, giving me Jonan Hill’s first clench in the movie Moneyball. Ok, I get that walks (nine over his last 12 innings) can creep into his equation at times, but isn’t the goal of a major league franchise to win and develop winning impact players? 

Pirates Promote Mike Burrows Over Bubba Chandler

The Pittsburgh Pirates decided to keep Bubba Chandler in the minors this week in favor of calling up Mike Burrows. Before this season, he pitched in 70 games in the Pirates’ system, leading to a 10-14 record, 3.61 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 291 strikeouts over 259.0 innings. His fastball (94.9 mph) is up slightly this season while offering the same secondary pitches (slider, changeup, and curveball). 

The Pirates optioned struggling SP Carmen Mlodzinski today. But...

It will be Mike Burrows getting the call to start tomorrow, not top prospect Bubba Chandler.

Burrows, though, has impressed this season. In 8 games at Triple-A:

32.1 IP
2.51 ERA
41:11 K:BB
1.05 WHIP

Burrows…

— Sports Forecaster (@SpoFo) May 21, 2025

Burrows’s downfall in the past has been locating his four-seamer, leading to some mistakes landing in the seats and too many free passes. He does bring an exceptional swing-and-miss changeup, supported by an improved curveball this year. In addition, his slider tends to be a winning pitch with strikeout upside. 

This season, Burrows has a 2.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 39 strikeouts over 30.0 innings at AAA while trending higher over his last four games (two runs, 11 hits, four walks, and 28 strikeouts over 17.2 innings). He has yet to pitch over five innings in a game (similar to Chandler).

Mike Burrows handing out punchies in the @YoungBucsPIT unis? Too sweet 🦌@Pirates | @indyindians | @youngbucks pic.twitter.com/h3RSMdeGnO

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) May 18, 2025

Does Burrows deserve a major league opportunity? Yes. Should he have been called up before Chandler? No. Should both pitchers be in the starting rotation for Pittsburgh? Yes.

Last year, the Pirates gave Burrows one game of experience in the majors (one run, two hits, one home run, three walks, and two strikeouts over 3.1 innings). I expect him to struggle out of the gate due to a pullback in his command. Once Burrows gains confidence at the major league level, the accuracy of his fastball will rise, allowing his secondary pitches to push his arm higher.