A Promising Start Turns Sour
When Paul Skenes burst onto the National League scene, his electric fastball and poise earned him the 2024 Cy Young Award, and he opened the 2025 campaign with a 1.97 ERA across 55 starts. The early numbers suggested a potential ace in the making, and the Pirates quickly locked him into their long‑term plans.
However, the momentum stalled as the season progressed. In each of his last four outings, Skenes failed to get past the fifth inning, topping out at 65 pitches before manager Don Kelly removed him. The abrupt exits have sparked a debate about his durability and whether mechanical or health issues are at play.
General manager Ben Cherington, speaking on the team’s radio network, praised the pitcher’s work ethic, calling the season “excellent” despite the recent dip. He stressed that the organization has no evidence of a physical injury, but the pattern of early pull‑outs has forced the club to reconsider its timeline for the young right‑hander.
With the Pirates already out of playoff contention, some analysts have floated the idea of shutting Skenes down for the rest of the year to preserve his arm for a full 2026 campaign. Yet the front office resists a premature shutdown, noting that the team has historically allowed the pitcher to navigate similar stretches without a blanket rest plan.
Skenes himself remains focused on improvement, pledging to put in extra work on the mound and in the gym. He is slated to make one final start before the season winds down, a chance to prove that the early turbulence can be ironed out before the offseason.