Skenes pulled after 65 pitches; velocity hits career low
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- Paul Skenes was pulled after 65 pitches in a loss to Miami — his lowest pitch total since a 64-pitch outing in April — with manager Don Kelly insisting the early exit 'wasn't injury-related' and was instead a strategic call to 'give us the best chance to win.'
- Skenes logged a career-low 95.7 mph average fastball against the Marlins and didn't throw a single pitch above 97 mph, part of a season-long drop from 98.8 mph in 2024 and 98.1 mph last year to 96.8 mph in 2025.
- Skenes also produced a career-low 12% whiff rate, generating just four swings-and-misses on 34 swings, while allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with four strikeouts over five innings.
- Skenes fell to 9-11 on the season and 3-4 over his last nine starts, posting a 5.79 ERA in that stretch while offering 'changes' in his routine and high pitch 'volume' as possible explanations for the slump.
- Skenes said he didn't argue the hook, quipping 'if I were the manager, I'd probably do it, too' and conceding that Kelly 'walked me through everything, and it made sense.'
Why it matters: The Cy Young winner's velocity has now dropped more than 3 mph over two seasons, and Tuesday's outing — his lowest fastball reading ever with a record-low whiff rate — represents the worst data point yet in that trend. Neither Skenes nor Kelly directly addressed the dip, leaving the Pirates' $74 million cornerstone without a public explanation as the team fights for a playoff spot.
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