Pirates Announce Next Bubba Chandler Start

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler will take the mound in front of his home fans for the final time in 2025.

Pirates manager Don Kelly announced that Chandler will start against the Athletics on Sept. 20 at PNC Park, taking on right-handed starting pitcher Luis Morales. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m.

This will serve as his final start at home for the Pirates, as this marks the last home series of 2025. They have two final road series before the season comes to a close, against the Cincinnati Reds at Great America Ball Park, Sept. 23-25, and against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, Sept. 26-28.

Chandler last started vs. the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Sept. 13, where he threw five perfect innings, before giving up two hits and an earned run, while posting seven strikeouts over 81 pitches and six innings.

His start resulted in a no-decision, but the Pirates eventually took the victory 5-1, thanks to a late rally.

Chandler became just the fourth pitcher in Pirates history that threw a perfect games through five innings in the expansion era (since 1971), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

This includes Bruce Kison, who threw 5.2 perfect innings on July 23, 1971, Nick Kingham, who threw 6.2 perfect innings on April 29, 2018, and most recently Max Kranick, who threw five perfect innings on July 27, 2021.

This was a much different result for Chandler than his first MLB start against the Milwaukee Brewers in the series finale at PNC Park on Sept. 7, where he gave up nine hits, three walks and nine earned runs over 2.2 innings pitched in the 10-2 defeat.