Pirates' Paul Skenes Gets Chance to Begin Home Hot Streak
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PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes had a rough start to the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but has settled in and looks like he'll pitch as he has done in his MLB career.
Skenes returns to the mound for the Pirates in the series opener vs. the Washington Nationals at PNC Park on April 13, with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m.
He last faced the Nationals almost a year to the day on April 14, 2025, also at home, where he allowed one earned run over six innings of work, as the Pirates got the 10-3 victory.
This marks the second start for Skenes at home this season, second ever against the Nationals and fourth start in 2026.
Paul Skenes Getting Back to Cy Young Self
Skenes was excellent in his last start vs. the San Diego Padres at PNC Park on April 7, where he gave up just two hits, two walks, a solo home run and struck out six batters over six innings in the 7-1 win.
He also didn't give up a hit until the top of the sixth inning and was dominant throughout, relying mostly on his high-velocity pitches in his four-seam fastball and sinker.
It was his best start of the year and a great sign that he should serve as the Pirates ace in their strong rotation.
Skenes had a terrible first start of 2026, as he gave up five runs and didn't make it out of the first inning in the 11-7 loss to the New York Mets at Citi Field on Opening Day.
It wasn't all Skenes' fault, as center fielder Oneil Cruz made two terrible plays in center field, but he clearly wasn't pitching well in that outing.
Skenes bounced back with five innings of one-run ball vs. the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on April 1 in an 8-3 victory.
Both of these past starts show that Skenes is getting back into his best form, and at the right time, as the Pirates have accrued a record of 9-6 and are aiming for a season where they make the playoffs.
Even better for Skenes, he's had great support from his lineup, as they've scored 22 runs in his first three starts combined and by doing so, make it easier for him to go out there and pitch for the Pirates.
Skenes had little run support last season in his Cy Young campaign, finishing with a 10-10 record, despite an astounding 1.97 ERA, so he is in a better place now and with a better team overall.
Looking Ahead at the Rest of the Series Starters
The Pirates only listed right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller as the other starter for this series, coming in the following game on April 14 vs. the Nationals.
Keller has been sensational so far for the Pirates, with three quality starts, a 1.00 ERA over 18 innings, a .188 batting average allowed and a 0.94 WHIP, with 11 strikeouts to five walks.
The Pirates normally have Carmen Mlodzinski follow Keller and then Braxton Ashcraft come after him, which would lineup for the third game of the series on April 15 and then the series finale on April 16.
Pirates manager Don Kelly could change how things work, especially with the lack of an off-day for the four-game series vs. the Nationals, bringing another pitcher in to the mix like rookie left-hander Hunter Barco or veteran right-hander José Urquidy, especially if they're managing innings.
Both Mlodzinski and Ashcraft have pitched well for the Pirates, with Mlodzinski posting a 2.51 ERA over three starts and 14.1 innings pitched and Ashcraft posting a 2.12 ERA over 17.0 innings pitched, a .200 BAA and a 1.00 WHIP.
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.