Don Kelly makes surprising call on Bubba Chandler after brutal first start

Two weeks after he dominated in his MLB debut as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates' bullpen, Bubba Chandler absolutely face-planted in his first Major League start.

In fact, Chandler's first big-league start was even shorter than his first appearance as a reliever. He lasted just 2 2/3 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, getting lit up for nine earned runs on nine hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Giving credit where it's due, the Brewers are the best team in baseball with an 89-55 record, and their 736 runs scored this season are second only to the New York Yankees' 749. It was a tall task for the 22-year-old right-hander, who had only three Major League appearances under his belt (all out of the bullpen) up to that point. Still, there were some red flags that raised questions about whether he was ready for a starting role at the MLB level.

For instance, it's been established that Chandler can routinely hit triple digits on the radar gun with his fastball. That plays well out of the bullpen, but it doesn't help him as a starter unless he has other effective pitches to balance it with. In Sunday's start against the Brewers, Chandler struggled to locate his slider, throwing just three of 13 for strikes.

However, even though Chandler struggled in his first start while thriving in a bulk relief role, the Pirates seem unwilling to pivot on their long-term plan for their top pitching prospect.

Don Kelly makes surprising call on Bubba Chandler after brutal first start

Speaking to reporters after the game (including Eric Bowser of DK Pittsburgh Sports), manager Don Kelly was unwavering in his assertion that the Pirates still view Chandler as a starting pitcher in the long run.

"Bubba’s a starter," Kelly said. "He’s a starting pitcher. How that transpires, we’re going to sit down and talk. I’m not saying he wouldn’t be in a bulk role again but he’ll get starts, too. I don’t know what the next one will be but we’ll talk about it and reassess.”

So, while we may see Chandler slide back into the Pirates' bullpen mix at some point down the stretch, such a move will be strictly temporary. It's clear that he needs to work on his off-speed pitches, and as long as he does, he will have a spot carved out for him in the Pirates' starting rotation.