How Pirates' Paul Skenes Has Fared vs. Team DR Lineup
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As the United States prepares to face the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic semifinals, all eyes will be on the mound: Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes gets the ball for the Americans against a Dominican lineup that has already tied the WBC team record for home runs.
Skenes is coming off a dominant WBC debut against Mexico. He pitched four shutout innings, striking out seven, while allowing only one hit. The 23-year-old phenom will look to make another strong impression in his final 2026 WBC start.
While the Dominican Republic boasts a murderer's row of talent—with hitters like Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. each launching two homers already this tournament—Skenes enters the matchup armed with significant small-sample history against many of the key bats he'll face.
For the handful of Dominican stars who have faced the 2025 Cy Young winner in the major leagues, the results have been overwhelmingly in favor of the once-in-a-generation pitcher, with a couple of exceptions.
J-Rod, Rosario & The Rest
According to career head-to-head data, Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez stands alone as the hitter with the most success against Skenes. Rodríguez is 3-for-6 with two doubles and a single against the flamethrower, though he has struck out twice in those encounters. Yankees infielder Amed Rosario has also managed to solve Skenes one time, going 1-for-2 with a single and one strikeout.
Beyond Rodríguez and Rosario, the track record is sparse and bleak for the Dominican order.
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte has managed just one walk in six plate appearances, going 0-for-5 with no strikeouts. The New York Mets' Juan Soto is 0-for-3 but has worked two walks in five trips, also striking out twice. Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is hitless in two at-bats with a strikeout, while Tampa Bay's Junior Caminero is 0-for-3.
The most extensive history belongs to Diamondbacks infielder Geraldo Perdomo, who is 0-for-8 with two strikeouts—the most at-bats any Dominican hitter has accumulated against Skenes. Fellow Diamondback Carlos Santana is 0-for-3 with two punchouts, and Austin Wells popped out in his only prior meeting.
Several of the biggest names in the Dominican order have never faced Skenes in a major league setting. Fernando Tatis Jr and Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh's own Oneil Cruz, and Marlins catcher Agustin Ramirez could all be seeing the Pirates' ace for the first time, depending on how manager Albert Pujols chooses to construct his lineup. It's likely that Cruz, a lefty, will get at least one at-bat against Skenes, appointment television for all Yinzers.
The Full Picture
When compiling the numbers for the 12 Dominican Republic hitters with prior experience against Skenes, the totals paint a daunting picture for the Caribbean powerhouse:
Total Plate Appearances | 42 |
|---|---|
At-Bats | 36 |
Hits | 4 (Rodriguez -3, Rosario - 1) |
Walks | 3 (Soto -2, Marte - 1) |
Strikeouts | 10 |
Extra-Base Hits | 2 (Doubles - 2) |
Batting Average | .111 |
On-Base Percentage | .167 |
The math is simple: excluding Rodríguez and Rosario, the remaining 10 Dominican hitters with prior experience are a combined 0-for-30 with eight strikeouts against Skenes. Like almost all of Skenes' statistics at this point in his career, that speaks to pure dominance.
First pitch from loanDepot park is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Luis Severino of the Athletics is expected to start for the Dominican Republic.
Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.