PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates may have found their next star on the mound. Bubba Chandler, regarded as one of baseball’s top pitching prospects, delivered a historic performance in his Major League Baseball debut Friday night, throwing four scoreless innings and earning a save in a 9-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies. According to the Associated Press, Chandler became the first pitcher since saves were officially recorded in 1969 to throw at least four shutout innings and record a save in his debut.
The 22-year-old right-hander allowed just two hits and struck out three, needing only 40 pitches to retire 12 batters. After giving up a leadoff double to Orlando Arcia, Chandler settled in quickly, striking out Ryan Ritter and Mickey Moniak with pitches clocked at 99.9 mph and 100.4 mph — the fastest strikeout pitches thrown by any Pirate this season. “Welcome to the show, huh,” Chandler joked afterward. “Didn’t want to give up a homer on the first at-bat, but after that my emotions slowed down and it was great.”
Chandler’s promotion came after an impressive stint at Triple-A Indianapolis, where his performances had already fueled speculation about a call-up. He admitted frustration at not reaching the majors sooner, but said the experience made Friday night even sweeter. “There’s not a lot of 22-year-old kids that get to do this,” he said. “I was mad, yeah, whatever. But at the same time, I had to take care of what I needed to take care of. Now I’m here. Don’t care.”
The Pirates now boast a formidable young pitching staff headlined by Chandler and reigning NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes. Manager Derek Shelton praised Chandler’s poise and efficiency, saying his debut was “as good as you could ask for” from a prospect in his first appearance. The victory gave Pittsburgh momentum in the stretch run as they look to climb the National League standings.
Elsewhere in the majors, Yu Darvish led the San Diego Padres to a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing just one hit over six innings as the Padres pulled level with their rivals atop the NL West. In the American League, Brayan Bello threw seven shutout innings to guide the Boston Red Sox past the New York Yankees 1-0, clinching the season series between the historic rivals.
