Connect with us

Opinion

Perrotto: Pirates Seemingly Have Improved Plan for Pitching Phenoms

Published

on

Pittsburgh pirates

The highlight of this up-and-down season for the Pittsburgh Pirates is obvious.



The development of rookie starters Paul Skenes and Jared Jones has been the best aspect of 2024. Beyond having immediate success at the major-league level, the 22-year-old right-handers have the talent, competitiveness and poise to be excellent pitchers for many years.

Skenes is 4-0 with a 2.14 ERA through eight starts and has 61 strikeouts in 46.1 innings. Jones hasn’t pitched to Skenes’ level – and few pitchers have – but has a 5-6 record, 3.66 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 86 innings.

Last weekend, the duo showed its talent in back-to-back games against the Tampa Bay Rays at PNC Park. Jones allowed two runs in seven innings to get the win on Saturday. Skenes gave up only one run in seven innings the following afternoon but took a no-decision.

“They’re as good a 1-2 combination as we’ve maybe seen this year,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

As good as Skenes and Jones are, the Pirates will have to figure out a way to maximize the pair’s talent for the length of the season. They must balance having them on the mound as much as possible without burning them out with a heavy workload.

Skenes has pitched 73.2 innings between Triple-A Indianapolis and the Pirates with the season almost at midpoint. Jones has logged 86 innings, all in the big leagues.

This is Skenes’ first full professional season after being selected first overall in last year’s amateur draft from LSU. Last season, he logged 129.1 innings between college and the minor leagues.

Jones pitched a career-high 126.1 innings in the minors last year after throwing 122.2 in 2022.

So, how many innings are the Pirates comfortable with Skenes and Jones pitching this season? General manager Ben Cherington says he does not have a definitive answer.

“We have sort of a rough idea of the area we would prefer them not to get to,” Cherington said.

However, figuring out how to avoid overextending the rookies is as much art as science.

“It’s a conversation that’s ongoing and that we started with them really back in spring training, acknowledging that the goal was to put them in a position to be active pitchers for a full season, to contribute for a full season, and in order to do that, we were at some point likely going to have to look at some ways to manage volume and build in some more recover,” Cherington said. “We’re still in the middle of those conversations. Won’t be surprised if at some point there will be some things we can do, but they’re pitching today and tomorrow, so hopefully they’ll help us win those games.”

Among the possibilities to keep Skenes and Jones fresh through September – and the Pirates hope into October and the postseason – is using a six-man rotation or giving them extra time off between starts occasionally.

The Pirates could eventually have enough depth to use a six-man rotation or at least sprinkle in some spot starts s once left-handers Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales and rookie Quinn Priester are healthy enough to be activated from the injured list.

The Pirates have three relief pitchers capable of pitching bulk innings with left-hander Josh Fleming and right-handers Luis Ortiz and Daulton Jefferies. Veteran righty Domingo German, who pitched a perfect game last season for the New York Yankees, and prospect Braxton Ashcraft are among the starting pitching options at Indianapolis.

Something Cherington says the Pirates won’t do with Skenes and Jones is shut them down for an extended period.

The Pirates tried that with Roansy Contreras in 2022 and he was never the same. The Pirates designated him for assignment earlier this season then sent him to the Los Angeles Angels in a cash transaction.

Contreras was expected to be a long-term member of the Pirates’ rotation.

Skenes and Jones are both better than Contreras. It’s heartening to hear the Pirates have a different plan for two pitchers who are good enough to be annual Cy Young candidates.

Copyright © 2024 National Hockey Now. All rights reserved. In no way endorsed by the Pittsburgh Pirates or Major League Baseball.

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (PA/IL) or 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN only) or 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA only) or 1-800-522-4700 (CO Only) or TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789.

21 plus Responsible Gaming