Today's starting pitching matchup features Pittsburgh Pirates's Bubba Chandler (3-7, 4.42 ERA) against Philadelphia Phillies's Cristopher Sánchez (9-3, 2.13 ERA).

Philadelphia Phillies's Cristopher Sánchez posts an elite 2.13 ERA this season, while Bubba Chandler has been league-average at 4.42. There is a clear gap in starting pitching quality.

Advanced metrics: Bubba Chandler — FIP 4.63, K% 20.9%, 79.3 IP / Cristopher Sánchez — FIP 2.36, K% 28.3%, 110.0 IP

2026 season record: Pittsburgh Pirates 43-42 (.506), Philadelphia Phillies 47-38 (.553).

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

Based on starting pitching, Philadelphia Phillies holds the edge.

Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen: 13 relievers on the active roster. Key arms: Brandan Bidois 4.80 ERA, 18K in 15.0IP, Braxton Ashcraft 3.07 ERA, 107K in 96.2IP, Bubba Chandler 4.42 ERA, 73K in 79.1IP.

Philadelphia Phillies bullpen: 13 relievers on the active roster. Key arms: Aaron Nola 5.58 ERA, 82K in 80.2IP, Alan Rangel 4.50 ERA, 13K in 12.0IP, Chase Shugart 4.97 ERA, 34K in 29.0IP.

Projected win probability: Pittsburgh Pirates 40% vs Philadelphia Phillies 60%

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

Workload comparison: Bubba Chandler averages 5.3 IP per start vs. Cristopher Sánchez at 6.5 IP. Getting six-plus innings from the starter significantly eases the bullpen burden.