Pirates’ Bats Demand Perfection from Paul Skenes Once Again

Pirates’ ace Paul Skenes pitched the first complete game of his young career on Sunday, May 18, striking out nine batters and needing 102 pitches to complete eight innings in a 1-0 loss to the Phillies.

Naturally, the 6-foot-6, 260 pound workhorse doesn’t consider the complete game legitimate since he didn’t pitch a full nine innings.

“Only if it gets authenticated with an asterisk next to it,” Skenes said. “It was an eight inning complete game.”

The candid remark is just another example of Skenes’ competitive drive for perfection. Still just 22 years old — he’ll turn 23 on May 29 — Skenes won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2024 and finished third in Cy Young voting despite a late start to this season. This year he’s pitched to a 2.44 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 62.2 innings. However, his record sits at 3-5, four of his losses coming in games he allowed two runs or less.

How does Skenes stay focused when he can do everything the Pirates need… save for scoring runs, a glaring problem for a team that has lost via shutout in more than one out of every six games this season?

“It goes back to exactly what you said: just control what you can control. Obviously not everything is within my power. Not everything is within any other individual in here’s power. That’s how we’re gonna get going a little bit,” Skenes said. “Just control what we can control on an individual level. That’s been my focus. That’s always been my focus. That’s probably been a little bit more difficult this last month or so, but there’s nowhere else to go but to keep going. Just got to keep going.”

“He Deserved to Win That One”

Pirates manager Don Kelly said that in spite of Skenes’ individual performances, it’s team wins the young right-hander cares about most.

He’s just a competitor, he goes out there and he was really, really good today. He’s pitching for team wins, he’s not as concerned about personal stuff, which speaks to who he is. He went out there today and pitched really well,” Kelly said. “He pitched unbelievably well and deserved to win in that one.”

Kelly went on to compliment Skenes for winning individual at-bats in a variety of ways: increased velocity on his fastball, an ability to induce soft contact, and success with his breaking pitches.

Ever the perfectionist — sensing a trend yet? — Skenes said that his fastball velocity still isn’t where he wants it. He averaged 98.8 miles per hour on his four-seamer last season, frequently touching triple digits, but that’s down a tick to 98 even. Asked about his fastball to strike out Phillies star Bryce Harper, officially recorded at 99.7 mph, Skenes said he can feel his velocity improving.

“Not 100, though. It’s getting there. I can feel that my body is moving faster and probably had a little bit better command of my stuff, honestly, these last couple outings, even if the walk numbers have been a little bit high,” Skenes said. “In terms of velocity and all that, just awareness of my hand and where the ball is going I think has been better. I’m happy about that.”

Harper, a two-time MVP, fellow first overall pick and near certain Hall of Famer, said “it’s definitely real” of the hype around Paul Skenes. Given his own background, Harper would certainly know.

Bryce Harper raves about Mick Abel’s debut, while also adding that “it’s definitely real” in regards to Paul Skenes.

(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/nBVhLyhLda

— On Pattison (@OnPattison) May 18, 2025