Paul Skenes Feels Close to Turnaround After Career-Worst Start
Just over halfway through the 2026 season, Pirates starter Paul Skenes is close to surpassing his total runs allowed during the 2025 campaign, a year that saw him win the National League Cy Young Award.
Opposing batters have tagged Skenes for 39 earned runs over 97 innings pitched to date; he allowed 41 in 187.2 frames last season. Skenes’ 3.62 ERA — unduly weighed down after a career-worst seven earned runs allowed on Wednesday night against the Phillies — remains strong, ranking No. 30 among qualified starters. It isn’t time to hit the panic button, but it shows he’s a mortal like the rest of us. That’s uncharted territory after Skenes’ meteoric rise to prominence.
The Pirates have lost nine straight Skenes starts. Asked about that fact after allowing four runs in five innings on June 26, Skenes described his season as “weird,” but reasoned “I’m happy with it overall,” citing his focus on controlling what he can control even with a lack of run support. Losing to the Phillies in the worst performance of his professional career elicited more of a reaction…which says a lot, coming from the stoic pitcher.
“Just didn’t execute very well,” Skenes said. “Fell behind in some counts and left some balls over the plate.”
Skenes described the home runs he allowed against Brandon Marsh and Trea Turner as “breaking balls that caught too much of the plate.” He also mentioned how the Phillies managed to grind out at-bats against him, fouling off pitches he could’ve put them away with. Despite the struggles, Skenes still feels like he’s knocking on the door of a turnaround.
Knocking on the Door?
“I haven’t made it easy on myself. But yeah, just gotta execute a little better,” Skenes said. “Fell behind in a few counts and some foul balls. Yeah, just gotta execute a few pitches a little bit better, and I think it, it’s probably a different story.”
Pirates manager Don Kelly said he doesn’t think Skenes is overtaxing himself as he tries to snap out of the funk. Skenes has a reputation for a ferocious work ethic, but he and the training staff are cognizant of how hard to push.
“He’s always looking at what he’s doing, trying to adjust it and tweak it,” Kelly said. “It’s something that him and [pitching coach Bill Murphy]… are constantly looking at.”
Kelly also provided clarification on the play that started Skenes’ spiral in the second inning. With one out and the bases loaded, third baseman Nick Gonzales fielded a chopper down the line cleanly, throwing to catcher Henry Davis for the force play at home. Instead, he hit Alec Bohm, the Phillies’ baserunner, an error that let two runs score.
“I think Henry didn’t know which side to go on because Gonzo could have kept going or stayed inside,” Kelly said. “Baserunner did a good job getting in the way, but we need to make sure we get an out there.”
Kelly suggested that the better move would’ve been conceding the run in favor of an easier throw.
“That’s where it’s really tough because Gonzo’s going right towards the line and sometimes third base, you keep on going into foul territory and sometimes you stop,” Kelly said. “ Maybe could have gotten an out at third or first. There really didn’t seem to be a really good throwing lane to home.”
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