Today's starting pitching matchup features Philadelphia Phillies's Cristopher Sánchez (4-2, 2.11 ERA) against Pittsburgh Pirates's Bubba Chandler (1-4, 4.62 ERA).

Philadelphia Phillies's Cristopher Sánchez posts an elite 2.11 ERA this season, while Bubba Chandler has been shaky at 4.62. There is a clear gap in starting pitching quality.

Advanced metrics: Cristopher Sánchez — FIP 2.20, K% 28.4%, 55.3 IP / Bubba Chandler — FIP 5.51, K% 19.7%, 39.0 IP

Cristopher Sánchez has allowed high batting averages to several Pittsburgh Pirates hitters: Marcell Ozuna (5/13, .385), Bryan Reynolds (4/11, .364). These matchups bear watching.

On the flip side, Nick Gonzales (1/7), Oneil Cruz (1/9) have all been largely shut down by Cristopher Sánchez in their careers.

Cristopher Sánchez carries a .262 career BAA (11-for-42) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates's top of the order — a neutral track record.

2026 season record: Philadelphia Phillies 22-23 (.489), Pittsburgh Pirates 24-21 (.533).

Recent form: Philadelphia Phillies on a 2-game win streak, Pittsburgh Pirates on a 1-game losing streak.

Based on starting pitching, Philadelphia Phillies holds the edge.

Philadelphia Phillies bullpen: 13 relievers on the active roster. Key arms: Aaron Nola 5.91 ERA, 46K in 45.2IP, Andrew Painter 6.21 ERA, 34K in 37.2IP, Brad Keller 3.86 ERA, 23K in 18.2IP.

Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen: 13 relievers on the active roster. Key arms: Braxton Ashcraft 3.09 ERA, 56K in 55.1IP, Bubba Chandler 4.62 ERA, 34K in 39.0IP.

Projected win probability: Philadelphia Phillies 58% vs Pittsburgh Pirates 42%

Factors: Philadelphia Phillies's starter owns the lower ERA, Pittsburgh Pirates's home-field advantage. Of course, baseball's inherent randomness means actual results may differ.

Workload comparison: Cristopher Sánchez averages 6.1 IP per start vs. Bubba Chandler at 4.9 IP. Getting six-plus innings from the starter significantly eases the bullpen burden.