Paul Skenes, the National League‘s reigning Cy Young Award winner, departed his recent start after five innings and 65 pitches in a 2-0 loss to the Miami Marlins. This outing marked another instance of uncharacteristic play for Skenes.
Skenes acknowledged the decision to remove him, stating, “If I were the manager, I’d probably do it, too. Wish I could’ve gone more, but it kinda is what it is.” He also mentioned that he understood manager Don Kelly‘s reasoning and did not argue the decision.
Velocity Concerns and Performance
During the game at LoanDepot Park, Skenes limited the Marlins to two runs, with only one earned run, on five hits. He recorded four strikeouts and one walk. However, he faced difficulty, with eight of the 21 batters he encountered hitting hard-hit balls, defined as batted at 95 mph or greater.
His four-seam fastball averaged 95.7 mph and reached a maximum of 96.5 mph. This average velocity was a decrease from his 2026 season average of 96.9 mph, which itself was down from his 2024 rookie year and 2025 season. Despite the decrease, his average four-seam fastball velocity still ranks in the 85th percentile of the league.
The 65 pitches thrown represent one of his lowest pitch counts this season. He previously threw 37 pitches in an Opening Day outing against the New York Mets and 64 pitches in an April home start against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Manager’s Perspective and Skenes’ Approach
Manager Don Kelly commented on Skenes’ high standards, noting, “You see a guy who set the bar so high from his first two years in the major leagues. He’s going out there trying to achieve the same bar. The league is going to adjust. … Paul’s gonna have to fight to make the adjustment back to the league and find a way to adjust himself.”
Skenes had previously addressed concerns about his velocity in June, stating that the lack of velocity was “by design” and not indicative of an injury. He emphasized the importance of being on the field to contribute to the team. He reiterated this stance at the All-Star Game media day, saying, “I don’t think velocity is something I need to pitch well. I think it’s probably the first time in my career the velo has kinda dipped. It’s not something that I’m stressed over at all. I’m healthy. I’m feeling good and still pitching at a high level.”
However, recent performance suggests a different outcome. After an initial challenging outing where he exited with a 67.50 ERA, Skenes recorded a 1.09 ERA over 49 1/3 innings in his subsequent eight starts. This period of success was followed by a 5.20 ERA over his last 15 starts leading up to Tuesday’s game. He has not completed seven innings in a start since an outing after the All-Star break.
His recent pitching lines include:
- 5 1/3 innings, six hits, five runs, two walks, 11 strikeouts (105 pitches)
- Four innings, seven hits, five runs, four walks, seven strikeouts (100 pitches)
- Five innings, two hits, three runs, four walks, six strikeouts (93 pitches)
The Pirates, with a record of 58-63, are currently six games behind the NL‘s third wild-card spot, trailing five other teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds within their division. Following their three-game series against the Marlins, the Pirates are scheduled to face a challenging part of their schedule, including six home games against the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers, and a nine-game road trip against the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Cardinals.
Source: nytimes.com
Mason Reed
Sports reporter covering football, basketball and international competitions.