Pirates Reveal Next Paul Skenes Start
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PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes will return to the mound for his next start in the near future.
The Pirates revealed their probable pitchers for their next series vs. the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park, which includes Skenes.
Skenes will pitch on April 8 against Cardinals, the second game of the series, facing right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray.
Pirates' starting pitchers scheduled for St. Louis series:
— Dan Zangrilli (@DanZangrilli) April 6, 2025
Monday: Carmen Mlodzinski (vs. Matthew Liberatore)
Tuesday: Paul Skenes (vs. Sonny Gray)
Wednesday: Mitch Keller (vs. Erick Fedde)
Skenes had an 0-2 record in three starts against the Cardinals as a rookie in 2024, but only allowed three runs over 20.1 innings.
He had a solid outing on Opening Day vs. the Miami Marlins on March 27 with seven strikeouts while allowing just three hits and two walks for two earned runs over 94 pitches in 5 1/3 innings of work.
Skenes would've had the win, as he departed with a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning, but the Pirates' bullpen and defense both struggled, as they would lose 5-4 on a walk-off in the ninth inning.
He excelled in his most recent start vs. the Tampa Bay Rays on April 2, throwing 102 pitches over seven innings, allowing no earned runs or walks and just three hits, while striking out six batters in the 4-2 win for Pittsburgh.
Skenes starred in 2024 as he started 23 games, had a 1.96 ERA in 133 innings, allowed just 29 earned runs, 94 hits, six home runs and 32 walks, while recording 170 strikeouts and holding opposing hitting to a .198 batting average. He also had a 11.50 K/9 and a WHIP of 0.95.
He was the first member of the Pirates to start for the National League in the All-Star Game since Jerry Reuss did it in 1975, 49 years ago. He was also just the fifth rookie to start an All-Star game, with Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers last doing so before him in 1995, en route to winning NL Rookie of the Year.
Skenes also made the All-MLB First Team for his performance in 2024, won NL Rookie of the Year and was a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award.
The Pirates will also have Carmen Mlodzinski begin the series vs. Cardinals left-handed pitcher Matthew Liberatore on April 7.
Mlodzinski made his first start of the season on March 31 vs. the Tampa Bay Rays and did well through the first three innings, allowing just two hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
He would struggle in the fourth inning, allowing five hits, four earned runs over two outs, before Pirates manager Derek Shelton went to left-handed reliever Tim Mayza.
Mlodzinski has spent most of his time in the MLB in the bullpen, but is in the starting rotation, with right-handed pitcher Jared Jones out injured.
Right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller will close out the series on April 9 against right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde.
Keller excelled in his first start of the season against the Miami Marlins on March 28, as he allowed just five hits, one walk and one earned run, while striking out four batters over six innings of work on 86 pitches in the 4-3 win.
He struggled in the home opener vs. the New York Yankees on April 4, allowing seven earned runs through four innings in the 9-4 defeat.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.