The Other Side: Nationals’ Dylan Crews Has No Rivalry With Paul Skenes

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of a recurring series that spotlights Pittsburgh Pirates-oriented news and notes from their opponents.

Dylan Crews smiled at the question.

The Washington Nationals center fielder was asked if he and Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander Paul Skenes had a rivalry going last year over who would be selected first in the MLB amateur draft. Crews and Skenes were both teammates at LSU, which won the College World Series.

Skenes was selected first, and Crews was picked second.

“We were so focused on winning the national championship that year, we never really talked about it,” Crews said earlier this month when the Nationals played the Pirates at PNC Park, “When we got drafted, we celebrated, had a little dinner together, had some lunches together. But we were just focused on winning that national championship. We knew we had a special team.”

Skenes and Crews became the first teammates selected at the top of the draft. That was good enough for Crews.

“It’s something to be proud of,” Crews.

However, Skenes has had more success during his rookie season. Going into Sunday’s start against the Reds in Cincinnati, the 22-year-old has a 10-3 record and 2.07 ERA in 21 outings despite playing on a team with a 72-83 record.

Crews is not surprised that Skenes has been dominant in his rookie season, believing part of that comes from former Minnesota Twins pitching coach Wes Johnson being the head coach at LSU.

“You have a great coaching staff over there who prepares you every day professionally, in a professional manner,” said Crews, hitting just .202/.262/.340 with three home runs in 24 games. “While you’re there, you feel like a professional. So, when you get to a professional atmosphere, it’s nothing new.”

Adam Frazier’s ‘Weird’ Return

Adam Frazier, who spent the first six seasons of his career with the Pirates from 2016-21, returned to PNC Park last weekend for the first time since being traded to the San Diego Padres. Frazier was dealt just two weeks after being the starting second baseman for the National League in the All-Star Game.

Frazier is now trying to help the Kansas City Royals reach the postseason for the first time since 2015.

“It was a little weird to step on that field in a different uniform,” Frazier said of playing at PNC Park. “It was fun, though. This is where I grew up as a baseball player and a person, so I have a lot of good memories.”

Frazier is hitting .203/.284/.297 with four homers in 104 games after signing a one-year, $4-million contract as a free agent in the offseason. However, Royals manager Matt Quatraro appreciates Frazier’s versatility as he has started at second base, third base, left field and right field.

“We talked to him before we signed him that he probably wasn’t going to have an everyday role. He said, ‘I don’t care. I want to win. I know where this team is going,’” Quatraro said. “With his pinch hitting, playing multiple positions, he provides a lot of value that way. He doesn’t change from one day to the next. He gets stuff done whether he’s playing three days in a row or if he hasn’t played in a week.”

Bryan De La Cruz Has a Fan

The Pirates’ trade with the Miami Marlins for right fielder Bryan De La Cruz has been a bust. De La Cruz is hitting .192/.204/.267 with two home runs in 40 games.

However, Marlins manager Skip Schumaker didn’t boast about the deal when Miami visited PNC Park recently. He had only good things to say about De La Cruz.

“I miss the smile and positive energy,” Schumaker said. “I played him every single day and I felt good about having his bat in the lineup even though he goes through some peaks and valleys at times. I thought he was really close to breaking out all the time.

“I felt like he was a winning player. He would try to get better in the outfield every day. He’d try to get better on the bases every day. He was great in the clubhouse. He was a really great teammate for us.”