Paul Skenes, the ace of the Pittsburgh Pirates, had another disappointing start, giving up five runs on seven hits in a loss to the Cincinnati Reds. This marked the second straight start where Skenes gave up five runs, capping off a brutal month for the 24-year-old.
Concerns Over Skenes’ Performance
Skenes’ ERA is now 3.90, a full two runs higher than his 2024 and 2025 totals. While he did have three good starts last month, going 3-0 with just five earned runs in those games, his overall performance has been alarming. One troubling stat that has baseball fans worried is that Skenes hasn’t topped 98 MPH in his last four starts, and he’s topped it only 95 times this season, compared to nearly 900 times last year and nearly 700 the year before.
Pirates pre- and post-game host Dan Zangrilli didn’t mince words after the loss, saying, ‘The ace didn’t ace. Far more questions than answers. For any of this to work, he has to.’ Zangrilli’s comments reflect the concerns of many Pirates fans, who are wondering what has happened to Skenes’ dominant form.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
