The Pirates are set to call up Chandler from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, projecting him into a long-relief role as they bring him to the majors for the first time this season. The deployment is similar to how Braxton Ashcraft was used before transitioning into the Pirates’ rotation, a path that could reshuffle Chandler’s ultimate role if it accelerates.
For fantasy players, the outlook isn’t promising unless Chandler makes a quicker leap to a rotation spot. The club’s plan, at least for now, is to use him as a multi-inning reliever rather than as a back-end starter.
Chandler has dealt with mixed results this season in the minors, posting a 4.05 ERA with a 121:53 K:BB across 100 innings in Indianapolis. In his most recent stretch with the Pirates’ top minor-league affiliate, he carried a 7.79 ERA across 17.1 innings, with a 17:12 K:BB ratio.
This move gives the Pirates added bullpen length and depth as they push through the final stretch, while leaving open the door for Chandler to earn a spot in the rotation sooner rather than later if his development accelerates.
Summary: The Pirates are promoting Chandler to serve as a long reliever with potential rotation upside, a move that strengthens bullpen depth but offers limited immediate fantasy upside. The path to a larger role likely depends on how quickly he can prove himself in a rotation-ready trajectory.
Additional notes:
– The strategic aim appears to be bullpen stability and preserving options for a later rotation slot.
– If Chandler transitions to a starting role, he could become a valuable depth piece for the Pirates during a busy stretch run and beyond.
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