Bubba Chandler had a brief slump following the MLB Future’s Game.
Following the All-Star break, Chandler allowed seven earned runs in 9.2 innings across two appearances. On Friday night, the Pirates’ top prospect got back on track. Chandler allowed one run on three hits in seven innings. He didn’t issue a walk, and struck out seven.
Friday night was more along the lines of the run he was on heading into the All-Star break. Chandler combined to allow two earned runs in 23.1 innings across his final four appearances before the Future’s Game. He struck out 30 and walked two batters during that stretch. He also pitched a scoreless inning to close out the win for the National League in that Future’s Game.
Altoona ended up winning the game 9-3 on Friday, scoring four runs in the first two innings. Chandler kept the opponents off the board, leaving with a 9-1 lead, with Altoona adding three more in the bottom of the seventh.
On the season, Chandler has a 3.70 ERA in 80.1 innings, with a 94:26 K/BB. That’s inflated by a rough month of May, in which he went down briefly with a forearm issue. He’s put up a 2.59 ERA in 55.2 innings from May 29th through tonight’s start, showing improvements with his control by only allowing eight walks (1.29 BB/9). He’s also been consistently dominant with swing and miss, striking out 64 batters during this stretch (10.35 K/9).
UPDATE: The Pirates promoted Chandler to Triple-A following the game, according to Alex Stumpf.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANAPOLIS lost 5-4
- C Henry Davis: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
- LF Billy McKinney: 1-for-3, HR, RBI
- 3B Jose Rojas: 1-for-3, HR, RBI
- CF Jack Suwinski: 1-for-4
- RHP Mike Burrows: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 2 HR
Henry Davis hit his 11th home run at the Triple-A level, launching a two-run shot in the sixth inning with two outs, which cut the Indianapolis deficit to 5-4. Billy McKinney hit his third home run to put Indianapolis on the board in the fifth. Recently signed veteran Jose Rojas hit his 20th homer this year at the Triple-A level. Mike Burrows threw four shutout innings last time out, but allowed runs in three of four innings during this start. It’s not uncommon for a pitcher returning from Tommy John to have inconsistencies in their first year back. If you’re looking for Burrows to help the MLB club this year, that might be unrealistic. I don’t think it would be unrealistic to look at him as an MLB rotation option for next season, after he re-gains a consistent feel for his stuff.
STATCAST HEROES
While Burrows gave up hits and runs, he also showed swing and miss stuff. He had nine whiffs on 12 swings against his slider. He threw his fastball for strikes, with three whiffs and eight called strikes on 29 total pitches. The fastball sat 94.4 MPH and touched 95.5. He also picked up one whiff each on his curveball and changeup.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
ALTOONA won 9-3, led by the seven innings from Bubba Chandler.
- SS-2B Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 2-for-4, 2B
- RF Yoyner Fajardo: 3-for-5, 3B, 3 RBI
- 2B-SS Tsung-Che Cheng: 3-for-5, 2B
- C Abrahan Gutierrez: 2-for-5, 3B, 3 RBI
- CF Sammy Siani: 2-for-4, 3B, RBI
Altoona’s offense had a big night, with six players picking up multiple hits. Newly acquired infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa started his rehab, picking up two hits while playing both middle infield spots. Tsung-Che Cheng rotated with him, getting three hits at the plate, including his 15th double. Yoyner Fajardo had three hits, including a triple, at the top of the lineup. He’s hitting .307/.396/.380 since the Pirates re-acquired him. Abrahan Gutierrez knocked in the first two runs of the game with an RBI single, and later hit his first triple of the year, adding another RBI. Sammy Siani knocked him in with a triple of his own in the same inning.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
GREENSBORO was postponed, and will play a double header tomorrow.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
BRADENTON lost 5-4
- LHP Michael Kennedy: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
- 1B Esmerlyn Valdez: 1-for-4, HR, RBI
- 3B Javier Rivas: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
- 2B Jeral Toledo: 1-for-4, 3B
- C Axiel Plaz: 1-for-2, 2 BB
Michael Kennedy returned from the injured list, allowing one run on two hits in three innings. He showed good control, with swing and miss leading to four strikeouts. Every member of the Bradenton starting lineup had at least one hit. Esmerlyn Valdez hit his 16th homer of the year. Javier Rivas hit his 15th double. Jeral Toledo hit his third triple of the year.
STATCAST HEROES
Kennedy had two whiffs each on his four-seam, slider, and changeup. He also threw all three pitches for strikes, with four called strikes on the fastball, five on the slider, and two on the changeup. He’s not a hard thrower, with an 89.2 MPH fastball that topped out at 90.7. He is a smart pitcher with improved secondary stuff. The slider had a 54% called and swinging strike rate on 13 pitches, and the changeup was thrown six times, with a called or swinging strike on four of those pitches. The home run by Valdez was hit 111.8 MPH, traveling 376 feet. Rivas hit his double 106.5 MPH.
ROOKIE: DSL PIRATES BLACK
DSL PIRATES BLACK won game one 7-6
- DH Bralyn Brazoban: 2-for-4, 3B, RBI
- LF Angel Aquino: 1-for-4, 2B
- RF Raymond Mola: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI
Bralyn Brazoban was the top international signing for the Pirates this year. He hasn’t had a great debut, but he’s also in his age 17 season. This was the third game this season where he had multiple hits, with his second triple of the year.
DSL PIRATES BLACK lost game two 6-2
- 2B Yosmar Gimenez: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, SB
- C Lennyn Nunez: 1-for-2, 2 BB
- DH Phillando Williams: 1-for-2, BB
Yosmar Gimenez was signed by the Pirates last January. In his first season in the DSL, he hit .198 with a .573 OPS. He’s improved this year, batting .282 with a .757 OPS, fueled by a .424 OBP. He stole his sixth base of the season tonight, out of six tries. He’s also improved on the bases, after stealing five in 11 attempts last year.
ROOKIE: DSL PIRATES GOLD
DSL PIRATES GOLD lost 4-0
- LHP Ronaldys Jimenez: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
- 1B Samuel Escudero: 1-for-4
- LF Isaias Dipre: 1-for-4
The Pirates acquired Ronaldys Jimenez in the Martin Perez trade, paying half of the salary from Perez to acquire Jimenez. He’s made four starts this year in the DSL during his rookie season, combining for one run in nine innings, with a 12:5 K/BB.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, 7:05 PM – RHP Domingo German (6-4, 5.16)
- Double-A: Altoona, 6:00 PM – TBD
- High-A: Greensboro, 6:00 PM – TBD
- High-A: Greensboro, Game Two – TBD
- Single-A: Bradenton, 6:00 PM – RHP Hung-Leng Chang (4-7, 4.56)
- Rookie: DSL Pirates Black, 10:00 AM – TBD
- Rookie: DSL Pirates Gold, 10:00 AM – TBD
