PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He said it was everything he’s dreamed of his whole life. Bubba Chandler was finally on a major league field throwing four scoreless innings and becoming the fourth pitcher in MLB history to get a four-inning save in his big-league debut as the Pirates beat Colorado 9-0 Friday.
”It didn't even cross my mind. I'd relieved a couple times but I think I've started 80-some games in the minor leagues,” Chandler said. “So you know you think coming up, you're going to be a starter and you're going to start. But when they told me I was coming up, it was 'cool, I don't care if I'm batboy, whatever.' I just want to be here and I want to help the team win and hopefully I did that."
“It’s an opportunity. I waited my whole life to get to the big leagues. I want to work as hard as I can for more opportunities.”
On his third career pitch, Rockies Orlando Arcia hit one off the wall for a leadoff double, but he would get a strikeout, groundout and strikeout—the last one swinging on a 100 mile-an-hour pitch to strand the runner at third base.
“It was kind of like welcome to the big leagues, Arcia is a great player,” Chandler said. “I will always remember the first hit I gave up. I can’t complain. It felt great getting out of that inning punching two guys out and having fun with it.”
He made 24 starts in Triple A this year when many were thinking he might only make a handful before being called up. Chandler said it was difficult, but not too bad. He had a few things to work on and he feels better about his overall game even if the numbers don’t show it.
"Yeah, whatever,” Chandler said of waiting until August 22. “You can only try and control what you can control. I think the Pirates have a very good plan for every single person in this clubhouse, every single person in this organization and you know, you can complain all you want. In the end I'm here, in the big leagues. There's not a lot of 22-year-old kids that get to do this.”
“I'm grateful. I was mad, yeah, whatever. But at the same time, I didn't take care of what I needed to take care of, so that falls back on me. Now I'm here. Don't care. I've never really been a stressed out guy, but I have been the past couple months just trying to get here.”
Now he’s here and barring an injury or something unforeseen, he will never go back. He said it’s a joy to be in the clubhouse with his teammates, some of whom he watched his whole life growing up. This is all cool, but also kind of surreal.
“I think everyone in this clubhouse is freaking phenomenal at what they do,” Chandler said going 4 innings with 2 hits, 3 strikeouts and no walks. “They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t. The pitchers we have come to work every day ready to go out there and put up zeroes. Braxton is a guy who has put up with a ton of injuries, a ton of crappy stuff. You see what he’s doing now and he’s a guy that’s going to play for a long, long time. He’s really good.”
“Paul (Skenes), I’m not going to give him his flowers, but he’s a leader in the clubhouse, he’s a guy that guys gravitate towards. You see what he’s doing every week. It’s unbelievable. He’s a guy who works, and you kind of get out what you put in. Mitch, everyone in here, they work as hard as they can. You get out of it what you put in.”
Now Chandler is a part of it. While it might be in the bullpen to start, it doesn’t matter.
After finally finding his family in the stands right after the game ended on Friday, he was going to spend the rest of his time with them that night.
“I’m going to go give my parents a hug,” Chandler said. “Probably shed a couple of tears. Go home to the house and hang out with some of my buddies and just really look back at what I just did and be very grateful for it and honored.”