Skenes blames WBC for velocity dip: 'root' of struggles — SkimNews
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- Skenes cited the World Baseball Classic as "kind of the root" of his diminished velocity in a wide-ranging Post-Gazette interview published Monday, while cautioning that "there are a lot of other factors"
- Skenes' average fastball velocity dropped to 96.8 mph this season, down from 98.1 mph last year and 98.8 mph in 2024
- His four-seam fastball hit a career-low 95.7 mph in a start against the Miami Marlins last month and averaged just 96.1 mph in his most recent outing Friday against the Kansas City Royals
- Skenes is 10-11 with a 3.91 ERA and 192 strikeouts across 168 innings in 31 starts this season, a sharp regression from his 1.97 ERA Cy Young campaign last year
- The 24-year-old won the NL Cy Young Award last season and was NL Rookie of the Year in 2024, when he posted a 1.96 ERA
- Skenes said the WBC disrupted his normal ramp-up routine, preventing the gradual build-up where he typically tops out at 97-99 mph across successive live batting practices
- He expects to regain his mechanics ahead of the 2027 season and said he doesn't regret representing Team USA, though he hinted he's "not the only one" affected
Why it matters: For a Pirates ace coming off a 1.97 ERA Cy Young season, a 2 mph velocity drop and 3.91 ERA this year is a major regression Skenes attributes directly to his WBC participation. His comment that he's "not the only one" affected puts MLB on notice about whether the tournament's early-March timing systematically disrupts top starters' regular-season preparation.
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