Bubba Chandler Blew Up Against Philly, Then Held Our Mariners to ONE RUN and the Emerald City is Still Asking Why

Alright, Seattle, let's talk about something that still stings from last week. Bubba Chandler, the Pirates righty, couldn't get out of the third inning against the Phillies earlier this season. He looked completely lost. So why, oh why, did he then roll into T-Mobile Park and shut down our Mariners, holding them to a pathetic single run? It's the kind of performance that leaves you scratching your head, wondering what gives. Now he's back on the mound tonight, facing those same Phillies, and we're watching closely to see if he's actually turned a corner, or if our M's just caught him on an inexplicably good day.

Bubba Chandler's Wild Ride: From Blowup to M's Nightmare

Chandler's season has been a rollercoaster. Back on May 16, he faced the Phillies and it was an absolute disaster, giving up five runs in just three innings. That was his only career start against them, and it was rough. But since then, the kid has apparently figured some things out. He’s worked at least five frames in all seven of his outings since that early exit. More recently, he’s been on a hot streak, allowing two earned runs or less in each of his last four starts. That's a good trend, right? Well, for *him* it is. Last Thursday, he absolutely silenced our Mariners, giving up a lone run in 5 1/3 innings as the Pirates won 5-1. Pirates manager Don Kelly even said he loves "the way he's been able to slow things down throughout his starts and even when some pitches get away and it gets 2-0, he's able to reign it back in." That's great for Pittsburgh, but it’s still tough to swallow for us.

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2> Tonight, Chandler faces Cristopher Sanchez, a Phillies lefty who had a May that dreams are made of. Sanchez was untouchable, with five scoreless starts and a ridiculous 50 2/3 innings scoreless streak. He even lowered his ERA to 1.30 after striking out 13 Pirates in a six-hit shutout on May 16. Sanchez himself said, "I'm proud of myself, but at the same time, I try to keep my feet on the ground, keep it going, keep getting better, keep working. The same." But June has been a different story for him, with a 3.82 ERA in five starts. He got hammered for five runs in five innings last Thursday against the Nationals, even though the Phillies came back to win 10-5. He admitted, "I missed a couple pitches, and they got me." Meanwhile, the Pirates' offense is red hot, especially rookie Esmerlyn Valdez. This guy has gone deep in four straight games and already has six dingers in just 16 career games! His two-run shot on Monday kicked off a huge comeback for the Pirates, turning a 5-0 deficit into an 11-7 victory over Philly. Brandon Marsh homered twice in that game, and Bryce Harper and Trea Turner also went deep for the Phillies, but it wasn't enough thanks to Aaron Nola struggling, giving up eight runs in 4 1/3 frames. Nola knew it too: "I gave up too many hits, too many runs. I have to be better than that." So, tonight we get to see if Chandler keeps his newfound composure against the team he first blew up against, or if Sanchez can regain his dominant May form. It's the second game of a four-game set, and the Phillies are typically resilient, boasting an 11-1 record in their last 12 games after a loss. It's always good to keep an eye on how these teams are playing, because in this crazy league, you never know who you'll be facing down the line.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.