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Bubba Chandler's Lack of Control Making him Hard to Trust
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler has plenty of long-term upside, but so far in his first full season in the big leagues, he has struggled to control the baseball, allowing a league-high 27 free passes in his 39 innings over his first eight starts in 2026. Chandler has gone 1-4 in the early going with a 4.62 ERA (5.53 FIP) and 1.46 WHIP with 34 strikeouts. The 23-year-old former third-round pick in 2021 walked 13 batters in three starts from April 23 to May 5. In his most recent outing, though, Chandler went five innings against the punchless San Francisco Giants, giving up two earned runs on five hits while walking just one and striking out three for a no-decision. It was encouraging that he only walked one batter his last time out, but until he can show us that he can command his arsenal more consistently, Chandler is going to be a volatile fantasy starter. His next start will come against the underperforming Philadelphia Phillies at home. Start Chandler at your own risk.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
