Pirates’ Prospect Bubba Chandler Placed on Injured List

The Altoona Curve placed right-handed pitcher and No. 3 Pirates’ prospect Bubba Chandler on the 7-day Injured List due to forearm tightness, Pirates’ Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager Steve Sanders announced during a Sunday afternoon appearance on 93.7 The Fan.

Chandler currently ranks as the No. 66 prospect in all of Major League Baseball. Each of his four pitches grade as plus tools, with a fastball that sits in the upper 90s and a nasty slider serving as his go-to offerings, although he continues to mix in his curveball and changeup as he develops.

The move, retroactive to May 18, comes on the heels of Chandler exiting his Friday night start after recording just two outs. Command troubled the 21-year-old flamethrower throughout his brief appearance, as he walked five batters and threw just 10 of 33 pitches for strikes before a trainer pulled him from the game.

Before the troublesome start, Chandler pitched to a 4.13 ERA with 30 strikeouts across 24 innings this season. While Sanders described the move as precautionary, forearm troubles are an injury to keep an eye on. They often—but not always—serve as an early warning sign for damage to the Ulnar Collateral Ligament, the cause of ‘Tommy John’ surgeries that keep pitchers out of game action for as much as 18 months.