Pirates need Bubba Chandler to heed lessons, take next steps

ARLINGTON — Bubba Chandler’s season to this point has been defined by learning lessons and responding appropriately when something doesn’t go his way.

The Pirates need the next chapter of that story soon.

Chandler was not particularly sharp during Thursday’s 6-1 loss to the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field, completing just four innings and allowing six earned runs. It cost the Pirates (14-11) and certainly irritated the right-handed starter.

While fastball command was an issue for Chandler during his first two Spring Training starts, it was his changeup that he struggled to execute against Texas. That pitch was responsible for four of those runs.

It was an outing Chandler said he was eager to flush, and it’s hard to blame him.

“Didn’t execute a lot of pitches. Did some. But made a lot of mistakes,” Chandler said. “They hit the ball well [Thursday]. Gotta move on. That’s all I can do.”

If you want to make this about one outing with Chandler, go nuts. To me, it’s bigger than that. And it’s also not to slam Chandler — who has elite stuff and a terrific makeup.

But if the Pirates are going to reach their intended destination, they need Chandler to be a big part of things. They can’t afford to have him lugging around a 4.88 ERA, which is the case now.

“He’s an elite young pitcher,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “It’s about learning through these moments and what he needs to do to slow the game down, in those moments find ways to attack and get outs.”

Don’t give up on Chandler. He’s too good, too driven, too talented. But it’s fair to say that they do need to see progress, consistency and fewer walks. (After three more Thursday, Chandler has walked 16, four shy of the most in MLB.)

With the Pirates still in the game and Corey Seager batting in the fourth, Chandler failed to execute a changeup, and the Rangers shortstop knocked it out of the park for a three-run homer.

Ideally, that pitch is further down or, at minimum, not in a spot where Seager could do a lot of damage. Chandler knows it, too.

“That situation, you probably know he’s swinging,” Chandler said. “Don’t nibble but definitely don’t put it middle-in, where he slugs a lot.

“It was the right pitch call. I need just to execute it better, probably get a ground-ball double play and get out of the inning. That way it’s a better game, a closer game, I’m back out for the fifth, and it helps the bullpen."

Chandler throws 100 mph with a deadline movement profile on his four-seam fastball. His changeup can be filthy, and he knows how to spin the ball. Those traits have been evident when Chandler has been on. The problem: That hasn’t happened consistently enough.

Even on Thursday, Chandler was able to slow the game down at times and get key outs. But the step he needs to take involves the prevention of letting it speed up in the first place, likely starting with more strikes and fewer walks.

“I’m gonna look back at video and see if there was something off, whether it was mentality or mechanics,” Chandler said. “I’m capable of throwing well. Didn’t do it tonight. Wake up in the morning and onto St. Louis for my next start, care about that, go out there and dominate them.”

Let’s go with three other observations from this one …

1. A night after he hit the top of the right-field foul pole, Oneil Cruz delivered another impressive home run in the fifth inning.

Cruz jumped on a 2-2 curveball that Rangers starter Jacob deGrom left over the heart of the plate and blasted it over the center-field fence. It was the eighth homer of the season for Cruz, who’s one of just three Pirates since 1901 to have eight or more homers in March/April.

Cruz did the same thing last season before essentially struggling to rediscover that form the rest of the year.

2. Konnor Griffin came within inches of breaking this one open. Sixth inning. Bases loaded, two outs.

The Pirates shortstop looked like he might have a hit past Josh Jung. But the Rangers third baseman made a fantastic diving play to rob Griffin. Also a solid pick at first base by Jake Burger.

Griffin is now hitting just .125 (3 for 24) over his past six games.

3. deGrom has handled the Pirates well throughout his impressive career, going 3-3 with a 2.45 ERA in nine starts prior to Thursday. That trend obviously continued.

deGrom had his way with the Pirates, limiting them to one earned run over 5 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out 10. Using primarily four-seamers and sliders, deGrom racked up 20 whiffs against Pirates hitters.

“Really tough,” Kelly said. “It looked like vintage deGrom. He’s been throwing the ball well. When he’s healthy, he’s so hard to hit. Fastball was electric, and the changeup I thought was really elite.”

In 10 starts against Pittsburgh, deGrom has now walked just 13 while striking out 79, lowering his ERA during that time to 2.38.

Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH.