Pirates' Paul Skenes: 'Friendships Don't Win Championships'
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PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes had a solid start in his most recent outing, but it didn't result in what he wanted most, a win.
Skenes threw 103 pitches over seven innings for the Pirates vs. the Cleveland Guardians on April 19six hits, two earned runs and one walk, while posting four strikeouts. This served as a momentous occasion for Skenes, who pitched in front of a sold-out PNC Park crowd of 37,713.
Many of those in attendance lined up hours early to get one of the originally 20,000 allotted bobbleheads of him, which honored Skenes for winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2024.
The Pirates offense, which ranks second worst in baseball with a .206 batting average, didn't provide run support for Skenes. They had just six hits in the game and went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, as the Guardians won a 3-0 game.
Pittsburgh would go on and lose the following game in extra innings, despite a great comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie it up, which led to them suffering their second straight weekend sweep and their first at home.
The Pirates sit at 8-15 overall, the worst record in the National League Central Division and the fourth worst winning percentage in baseball, .348, with only the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies with worse records.
Skenes spoke with the media after the game, and praised the team camaraderie, but that it it's not what will push the Pirates where they want to go in the future.
“Yeah I mean, we’re just not executing at a high enough level and as consistently as we need to, to win those games," Skenes said. "I don’t think it’s a clubhouse thing. I mean, everyone likes each other, but you know, positive feelings and friendships and all that don’t win championships. So, we got to figure it out.”
Skenes starred at LSU in 2023, after transferring from Air Force. He had a 13-2 record in 19 starts, 1.69 ERA in 122.2 innings pitched, gave up just 23 earned runs and seven earned runs, while making 209 strikeouts to just 20 walks, leading the program to a national title that season.
He would enter the 2023 MLB Draft, where the Pirates took him with the number one overall pick. He also signed with the franchise on a $9.2 million signing bonus, the highest ever given to a player at the time.
Skenes dominated in the minor leagues and soon made it up to the majors on May 11 of the 2024 season.
He started 23 games, had a 1.96 ERA in 133.0 innings pitched, allowed just 29 earned runs, 94 hits, six home runs and 32 walks, while making 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 also 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 is also just the fifth rookie to start an All-Star game, with Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers doing so in 1995, en route to winning NL Rookie of the Year.
Skenes also made the All-MLB First Team and finished third in the NL CY Young Award voting.
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.