{"id":6989,"date":"2026-08-20T08:36:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T08:36:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=6989"},"modified":"2026-08-20T08:36:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T08:36:06","slug":"paul-skenes-pulled-early-again-even-after-pirates-pushed-back-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=6989","title":{"rendered":"Paul Skenes pulled early again \u2014 even after Pirates pushed back start"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The Pirates gave Paul Skenes extra time to get things back on track.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t work out that way, at least this time around.<\/p>\n

Skenes lasted just 4 1\/3 innings and 81 pitches on Wednesday, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks with five strikeouts, though Pittsburgh did secure a 4-3 win over the Tigers at PNC Park.<\/p>\n

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Skenes did throw 21 pitches at 97 mph or harder, which was better than the 96.5 mph high-water mark he hit in his last outing \u2014 a 65-pitch effort \u2014 against the Marlins on Aug. 11.<\/p>\n

The right-hander was originally slated to pitch Sunday against the Red Sox, but was instead pushed back to face Detroit in the middle of the week. Manager Don Kelly clarified that Skenes was not dealing with an injury but was intended to give him a \u201cfew more days to recover.\u201d<\/p>\n

Skenes did last 15 more pitches this start, but the four free passes he issued matched a season high.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s been a lot of good,\u201d Skenes said, according to MLB.com. \u201cI think there\u2019s some stuff, the walks. It\u2019s frustrating. Nobody wants to go out there and walk anybody. Nobody\u2019s trying to. \u2026 Felt good. Just a little out of sync, I guess, kind of the whole outing, which probably makes sense a little bit with the longer rotation. But nice to be back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Skenes, the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young winner in 2024 and 2025, respectively, has a 3.95 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across 139 innings this season. That stands in contrast to his first two seasons, in which he recorded a 1.96 ERA and 0.95 WHIP.<\/p>\n

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Infielder Brandon Lowe said sky-high expectations had people far too worried about Skenes\u2019 results in 2026. If Skenes finishes the year, he should break the 200-strikeout threshold again after he notched 216 last season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the world\u2019s been spoiled on who Paul Skenes really is,\u201d Lowe said, according to the Associated Press. \u201cHe had probably the best starting stretch to a career ever. <\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cAnd now he\u2019s not the greatest pitcher on the face of the planet for a few months, and people were worried and freaking out a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Skenes added that getting things on track will come down to making sure he\u2019s taking a look at \u201cobjective\u201d things.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust objective numbers, watching the game, execution, all that stuff,\u201d he said. \u201cNot anything from the outside.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Trump announces \u2018Economic D-Day\u2019 against Iran: \u2018Most crushing economic operation ever taken\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Pirates gave Paul Skenes extra time to get things back on track. But Skenes lasted just 4 1\/3 innings on Wednesday, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks with five strikeouts, though Pittsburgh did secure a 4-3 win over the Tigers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6988,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nPaul Skenes pulled early again \u2014 even after Pirates pushed back start - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=6989\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Paul Skenes pulled early again \u2014 even after Pirates pushed back start - Metro Transit Review\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Pirates gave Paul Skenes extra time to get things back on track. 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