Morning Rundown: Pirates snap losing streak, Bubba Chandler strikes out 11, draft pick makes debut
Pirates snap losing streak, Bubba Chandler strikes out 11, another draft pick debut
The losing streak for the Pittsburgh Pirates is over at 10 games after they defeated the Seattle Mariners 5-3 Friday night.
Yasmani Grandal hit his fifth home run of the season, with Isiah Finer-Falefa and Oneil Cruz hitting doubles. Paul Skenes picked up his seventh win of the season, allowing two runs on three hits and four walks while striking out six batters.
David Bednar picked up the save, although he still allowed a home run off Jorge Polanco in the ninth.
The win came at a cost, as Cruz and Andrew McCutchen left the game with injuries. Ryan Palencer reported that Alika Williams was heading to Pittsburgh after the game.
Bailey Falter is scheduled to pitch for the Pirates on Saturday, who will be opposed by Luis Castillo.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 pm ET.
Bubba Chandler has now pitched 13 innings at the Triple-A level. He’s allowed seven hits and three walks while striking out 17.
Oh, and he has yet to allow a run.
The Pirates’ top prospect tied a career-high in strikeouts with 11 on Friday, generating 16 whiffs. The fastball got up to 99 mph, but the slider really carried this time out. He generated a whiff rate right at 50% with his slider and had a dead-even usage split between it and his fastball (40% each).
He also mixed in his curveball and change-up.
Chandler lowered his season ERA to 3.18, with 111 strikeouts in 93.1 innings pitched.
The 2024 draft picks continue to work their way to Bradenton to close out the season. The Pirates’ 15th-round pick, Nathan Lege, made his professional debut on Friday, going 0-4 with two strikeouts.
Bradenton had four picks from the 2024 draft in the lineup on the night. Will Taylor, the team’s fifth-round pick, hit a grand slam on Thursday for his first professional hit.
Connor Wietgrefe, drafted in the seventh round out of Minnesota, debuted earlier in the week and is currently listed as the start on the MiLB app for Saturday’s game.
3B Ethan Lege assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Bradenton Marauders transferred C Justin Miknis to the Development List
Bradenton Marauders activated LHP Hunter Furtado from the 7-day injured list
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Top Exit Velocity
Ke’Bryan Hayes - PIT - 108.8 mph - Groundout
Billy McKinney - IND - 108.5 mph - Home Run
Malcom Nunez - IND - 105.7 mph - Single
Michael A. Taylor - PIT - 105.5 mph - Single
Yasmani Grandal - PIT - 102.8 mph - Home Run
Top Pitch Velocity
Aroldis Chapman - PIT - 103.6 mph
Aroldis Chapman - PIT - 103.1 mph
Aroldis Chapman - PIT - 102.6 mph
Aroldis Chapman - PIT - 101.9 mph
Aroldis Chapman - PIT - 100.8 mph
Most Whiffs
Bubba Chandler - IND - 16
Carlson Reed - GBO - 13
Paul Skenes - PIT - 10
Valentin Linarez - GBO - 9
Carlos Jimenez - BRD - 8
Indianapolis Indians - 3 vs St. Paul Saints - 2
Top Hitter - Billy McKinney: 2-3, R, RBI, HR
Top Pitcher - Bubba Chandler: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 11 K
Altoona Curve - 2 vs Bowie Baysox - 8
Top Hitter - Mike Jarvis: 1-3, R, RBI, HR, SB
Top Pitcher - Beau Sulser: 4 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K
Greensboro Grasshoppers - 2 vs Bowling Green Hot Rods - 3
Top Hitter - Hudson Head: 2-4, R, 3B
Top Pitcher - Carlson Reed: 4.1 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Bradenton Marauders - 3 vs Dunedin Blue Jays - 6
Top Hitter - Yordany De Los Santos: 1-4, 2B
Top Pitcher - Magdiel Cotto: 1.1 IP, H, BB
DSL Pirates Black - 3 vs DSL Cubs Red - 1
Top Hitter - Michell Ojeda: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, SB
Top Pitcher - Irwin Ramirez: 5 IP, 3 H, 6 K
DSL Pirates Gold - 5 vs DSL Brewers 2 - 3
Top Hitter - Cristian Jauregui: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, HR, SB
Top Pitcher - Ronaldys Jimenez: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 3 K
The big thing with AAA is they use MLB balls. Chandler did lose a little VB with the MLB balls in AAA but it’s still an elite, elite FB.
And wait till Pirates fans get to see Gavin Adams. It’s another elite FB. The SL is inconsistent, same w/ the CH(along with being a little too firm) but when he has the feel for them, they are on both are nasty too.
I really hope the Pirates give him a chance to start. He was gonna get that chance at FSU b4 the injury and Arnold and Leiter broke out. That FSU rotation was predicted to be Leiter, Gavin Adams, Tejada Jr and Dorsey as their midweek. That’s what everyone expected the rotation to be during the fall.
Adams FB is just nasty though. He looks just like Jacob Misiorowski but one or two inches shorter. And not b/c they were both top JUCO arms either; that’s just happenstance. They are just so similar.
Just looking at what the list will look like for the candidates to make up the 2025 Rotation - Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Jared Jones, Bailey Falter, Luis Ortiz, Thomas Harrington, Bubba Chandler, and possibly Johan Oviedo by May.
Just a note on Aroldis Chapman who started the year with some pretty bad numbers. In June, July, and so far in August he has pitched 26.1 innings in late inning relief with a 2.39 ERA, only 11 BB, 39 K, and has been the rock holding it together. Tip of the cap to Kyle Nicolas who has arrived with 44 IP, and a 2.86 ERA so far. A lot of injuries in the BP, but guys like Chapman and Nicolas have been stellar.