Critics Relax, Paul Skenes Again Dominating for Pirates

For those who thought Paul Skenes wasn’t dominant this season, look away. 

In his last start against the Phillies in Philadelphia on Sunday, the big right-hander threw his first-career complete game.

He allowed one run on three hits across 8.0-excellent innings with one walk and nine strikeouts, which tied a season-high.

As an encore, Skenes shut down the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night in a win for the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

“Very similar to Philly,” manager Don Kelly said on Skenes’ start. “He reached back and had a little more velo. He was in the zone and able to mix it up and go to his off-speed when needed to. I think that just the attack with his fastball has been key for him. Being able to get ahead. That first inning was a little shaky, I guess you would say for Paul. Being able to settle down and get through six was great. He finished strong too.”

Skenes allowed two singles in the first inning but recorded his second strikeout to end the threat.

After the pair of early hits, Skenes settled into a groove.

He allowed just one baserunner – a two-out walk to Rhys Hoskins in the fifth – before allowing his lone run of the game in the top of the sixth inning.

After preventing further damage with by stranding two runners in scoring position, manager Don Kelly went to the bullpen, ending another strong start for the reigning National Rookie of the Year. 

“It felt good. Executed pretty well,” said Skenes on his outing. “Obviously not quite as well as the last outing, but I was happy with it.”

Skenes struck out eight batters, allowed one run on four hits, walked two and threw 63 of his 101 pitches for strikes. 

However, as has been the case far too often this season, Skenes didn’t get credited with a win. 

The Brewers rallied to take the lead against the Pirates bullpen before an Oneil Cruz home run forced extra innings. The Pirates ultimately pulled out the win in 10 innings, but Skenes will have to wait at least another turn to get his first win since Apr. 25 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. 

Despite a 2.32 ERA over his last five starts, Skenes has an 0-3 record while the Pirates have lost four of five of those games. 

Through 11 starts to begin the season, Skenes is only 3-5 – a reflection of the team’s shortcomings, not his individual performance on the mound.

After Friday’s outing, Skenes ranks third in the National League with a 2.36 ERA. He’s tied for second with a .190 batting average against, is third with a 0.95 WHIP and has the fifth-most strikeouts with 70.

Given the team’s struggles offensively this season, the toll of having such a thin margin for error isn’t weighing too heavily on the Pirates’ ace. He just boils it down to one thing.

“It’s really hard to win a Major League Baseball game. At the end of the day, it just comes down to execution, so just getting back to that as a staff and then obviously as an offense, too,” he said. “Focus needs to continue to be execution.”

Is he performing at the same level he did when he won the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year? Not quite, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t meeting expectations this season.

What Skenes did during his first season in the big leagues was historic, not just for a rookie, but for any starting pitcher.

The more experience he gets, the more teams are able to try and figure out ways to get the better of him. So far, however, they haven’t had much luck.

Skenes might not be hitting 101-102 on the radar gun this season, but he hasn’t had to. The 98 mph average fastball velocity has been getting the job done. 

“I don’t think it’s necessarily key for him to be able to reach back and be able to get that,” Kelly said. “It’s more about being in the zone and attacking. Getting ahead with his fastball. When he’s feeling good and on his good days, we see what he can do there.”

Despite what you might see on social media, Paul Skenes is still Paul Skenes, and he continues to prove that.