Pirates skip Skenes start to rest struggling ace
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- Pirates manager Don Kelly announced Saturday that Paul Skenes will skip his scheduled Sunday start against the Boston Red Sox and instead pitch Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers, stressing the move was not injury-related.
- Skenes supported the decision and said fatigue could be a factor in his struggles, telling reporters extra recovery time "certainly can't hurt" while expressing pride in not normally needing extra rest.
- Skenes threw just 65 pitches against the Miami Marlins four days earlier, averaging a career-low 95.7 mph on his fastball, and was lifted after five innings despite the low pitch count.
- Skenes has posted a 5.79 ERA over his last nine starts; his average fastball velocity has declined from 98.8 mph in 2024 to 98.1 mph last season to 96.8 mph this season, per the article.
- Lake Bachar is listed as Sunday's starter in what will likely be a bullpen game against Boston, with Skenes having arrived at PNC Park expecting to pitch the series finale.
- The Pirates (60-65) have lost 16 of their last 23 games and sit last in the NL Central, 6.5 games out of the league's final wild-card spot.
Why it matters: Skenes' velocity has dropped every season he's been in the majors (98.8 to 96.8 mph), a season-long trend that one skipped start is unlikely to reverse — and Skenes himself downplayed rest as a fix. The Pirates are 60-65 and 6.5 games out of the wild card, so every outing they lose from their 24-year-old ace costs them ground in a fading playoff push.
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