Pirates' Paul Skenes Making One More Spring Training Start
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PITTSBURGH — It's been some time since Paul Skenes took the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he'll do so again in Spring Training.
Skenes will start for the Pirates, as they take on the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park in North Port, Fla. on March 20, for a primetime game with a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.
This should serve as the final Spring Training start for Skenes, as the final Grapefruit League game takes place on March 23 and is three days prior to Opening Day vs. the New York Mets at Citi Field on March 26.
Skenes has made just one Spring Training start so far, with the Pirates getting one more chance to see how he's throwing before beginning the season for the team.
Looking at Paul Skenes' Spring So far
Skenes actually started vs. the Braves at the same ballpark back on Feb. 25, his first start of the spring.
He threw 53 pitches over 2.1 innings, with four strikeouts, four walks, a hit and an earned run allowed against Atlanta.
That run occurred when right-handed pitcher Jarod Bayless, who came in for Skenes, gave up a double that brought home the runner who only got on after center fielder Oneil Cruz misplaced the ball.
Skenes then went with Team USA and pitched in an exhibition and two games in the World Baseball Classic.
He took on the San Francisco Giants in that exhibition at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Ariz. back on March 3, and despite giving up a double and a run in the first inning, he retired the next nine batters and posted four strikeouts over 40 pitches.
Skenes then made his WBC debut in a Pool Play matchup vs. Team Mexico at Daikin Park, home of the Houston Astros, on March 9.
It was an incredible outing for Skenes, who threw four scoreless innings, posted seven strikeouts and allowed just one hit and one walk, as Team USA would go on and win 5-3.
Those seven strikeouts marked a Team USA record for the most by a pitcher in a single WBC game.
Skenes finished it up with perhaps the most important start of his professional career, taking on an incredible lineup from Team Dominican Republic in the WBC semifinals at loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins, on March 15.
It wasn't the most efficient start from Skenes, but he did what he needed to do, allowing just one earned run over 4.1 innings and 71 pitches.
That run came on the first home run he's allowed this spring, a sweeper that ended up a little higher than the top right side of the zone, but Dominican Republic designated hitterJunior Caminero timed it just right and sent it out for a solo blast.
Skenes finished his WBC with a 1.08 ERA over 8.1 innings pitched, with a 0.96 WHIP and a .226 BAA and nine strikeouts.
Paul Skenes' Pitch Usage This Spring
Skenes has mostly relied on his four-seam fastball this spring, getting near 98 mph per pitch, and will continue to do so this season.
He has also gone more so with this sinker and splitter, combined 31%, while relying on his true offspeed stuff much less, just 28% of the time with the changeup, sweeper, curveball or slider.
Skenes relied on his fastball against Team Dominican Republic, but expect him to mix it up a bit when the season starts, as his sweeper is one of his best pitches.
Pitch | Total | Average Velocity |
|---|---|---|
Four-Seam Fastball | 94/224 (42%) | 97.8 mph |
Sinker | 35/224 (16%) | 97.4 mph |
Splitter | 33/224 (15%) | 94.2 mph |
Changeup | 27/224 (12%) | 89.3 mph |
Sweeper | 20/224 (9%) | 84.5 mph |
Curveball | 14/224 (6%) | 83.6 mph |
Slider | 3/224 (1%) | 84.8 mph |
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.