Present Meets Future: Paul Skenes, Konnor Griffin Share Field for 1st Time in Pirates’ Win
PITTSBURGH — The present and the future of the Pittsburgh Pirates took the field together for the first time at PNC Park on Tuesday night.
Paul Skenes was on the mound and Konnor Griffin started at shortstop against the San Diego Padres. Both players played a big part in leading the Pirates (7-4) to a resounding 7-1 win to even the three-game series.
“I mean, it’s unbelievable,” Griffin said about playing with Skenes. “The way he competes on the mound, the way he fires us up in this clubhouse and we want to get runs for him because he’s gonna dominate every time he goes out there. If we can just scratch some runs for him, then we’ll get him a win.”
Skenes (2-1) carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Fernando Tatis Jr. ended the bid with a one-out single. A potential shutout was erased on a Xander Bogaerts solo home run with one out in the top of the seventh inning, which ended Skenes’ night.
But Skenes turned in a season-high 6.1 innings, held the Padres (5-6) to one run on two hits with six strikeouts and a pair of walks. Despite a first-pitch temperature of a chilly 41 degrees, Skenes was unfazed and delivered his first quality start of the season.
“His stuff was really good,” manager Don Kelly said after the game. “He got in a rhythm there in the middle of the game with all of his pitches and was really working ahead, getting ahead with the fastball and the sweeper.”
Griffin, meanwhile, entered the game in search of his first hit since doubling in his first trip to the plate in his MLB debut against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. The 19-year-old was hitless in his last 12 at-bats entering play.
Griffin flew out to center field in his first at-bat but reached on an infield single in the fifth inning thanks to his “game-changing” speed, as Kelly described it. He used that speed to score all the way from first on an Oneil Cruz two-run double to left field that would’ve caused third base coach Tony Beasley to throw up the stop sign had it been just about any other player.
“It fired me up,” said Griffin. “One, getting on base, trying to make something happen in the inning. Spencer (Horwitz) starting it off, I get on base, Oneil comes through with a big hit, we go up 2-0 with Paul on the mound, that’s a good feeling. It was a great inning for us and glad we jumped on him pretty early.”
Three innings later, Griffin ripped a 113.2 mph single into left field to tack on two more runs, capping off a five-run eighth that allowed the Pirates to save closer Dennis Santana for another day.
In addition to his offense and baserunning prowess, Griffin again continued to provide steady defense up the middle.
“My defense is super important,” said Griffin. “Playing shortstop is a big role and I want to take that on, like I want to be as clean as I can be on the defensive side and put my body on the line. I want to make the diving plays. Just try to get out for the pitchers. That’s super important to me.”
Skenes has already established himself as a franchise cornerstone and perhaps the top pitcher in baseball as evident by his 2025 National League Cy Young award. As the top prospect in baseball, Griffin is looking to develop a similar reputation.
He still has a long way to go, but there’s no denying Griffin has the tools to one day give the Pirates another star player, building the foundation for a successful 2026 season and beyond.
“It’s great,” Skenes said on the impact Griffin had in Tuesday’s win. “It’s the player that we all know that he is and that he’s going to be. Sometimes, it takes a little bit to break out. It was nice to see today. It’s going to be exciting to watch.”
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