Pirates Continue to Waste Paul Skenes’s Excellency
Pittsburgh Since making his major league debut on May 11, Paul Skenes has lived up to the enormous hype surrounding his arrival. That cannot be contested.
In 14 starts, the rookie right-hander for the Pittsburgh Pirates is 6-1 with a 1.99 ERA. The 22-year-old maintained a shutout into the sixth inning on Sunday at PNC Park against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the National League’s highest-scoring team, despite not having his greatest stuff or command.
Skenes gave up two runs in the sixth inning and was out of the game. Still, he gave the bullpen a 4-2 advantage.
Skenes’ colleagues let him down, as has been the case far too frequently throughout his brief career.
Joc Pederson scored three runs off of a home run hit by Colin Holderman in the seventh inning, while Ketel Marte’s solitary home run was allowed by Jake Woodford in the ninth. Diamondbacks prevailed 6-5.
Skenes, who has not yet given up more than three runs in a game, saw the Pirates fall to 9-5 in games that he started. In those games, their record ought to be 14-0.Really?
With each of his starts, Skenes has provided the Pirates with a great opportunity to win. That is remarkable for a pitcher who, just a year ago, was selected first overall in the amateur draft and only played in 34 innings in the minor levels.
