As a baseball fan, it can be frustrating to see a generational talent playing for a team that is struggling and has been struggling since the MVP era from Andrew McCutchen in 2013; the last Pirates playoffs appearance was in 2015. And now things seemed to be changing. From the front office to the players, it’s evident that when Paul Skenes takes the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates, everyone knows he will perform at a high level and display his skills.
However, how long will Paul Skenes be able to maintain near perfection while losing games? Recently, he pitched five complete innings against the Mariners, allowing just five hits, no runs, no walks, and recording an impressive 10 strikeouts with 52 strikes out of 78 total pitches. Yet, the Pirates still managed to lose the game 1-0.
In his 19 starts this season, he has permitted only 25 earned runs and has registered just four wins. In his last 13 starts, he has only 1 win, though he boasts an outstanding 1.72 ERA. It’s understandable that he might be feeling frustrated. He is arguably 1 of the top 3 pitchers in the league, alongside Tarik Skubal from the Tigers and Zach Wheeler from the Phillies, yet his team continues to let him down. In the most recent game, the bullpen gave up a home run after recording two outs.
Paul Skenes is one of the two picthers in MLB history, to record a 19-start span in a regular season with a 2.00 ERA or lower, 90 strikeouts or more, and fewer than five wins, the other is Jacob deGrom. In the four games he rested recently, the team scored an impressive 37 runs.
His performance has been nearly perfect this season: he has allowed no earned runs in seven games but has only registered three wins. When he has allowed one earned run, he has only recorded one win; and in four games where he has allowed two earned runs, he has not won any games. It must be incredibly frustrating to be in Skenes’ position.
This brings me to wonder which team is most in need of a stellar pitcher. My immediate thought was the Yankees, and that makes sense. However, Jeff Passan reported that the Pirates have no intentions of trading Paul Skenes. Still, I believe that Livvy Dunne’s boyfriend could be traded before the July 31st deadline.
It’s tough not to feel a sense of frustration towards someone in the organization when you are striving to be the best pitcher in the National League, hold the title of the reigning Rookie of the Year, and simultaneously have the unique distinction of being the only pitcher in MLB history with an ERA below 2.00 and a losing record in the first 19 games started in a season.
Currently, the Pirates rank among the worst offenses in baseball, holding the second-worst Weighted Runs Created Plus (WRC+) in the league at 79. The two-time All-Star has been linked to other teams like the Dodgers, Red Sox, and Tigers; besides Yankees.
In my opinion, situations where Paul doesn’t receive support from his teammates only serve to wear him down. I believe it would be a miracle if Skenes doesn’t request a trade before the July 31st deadline or at the beginning of next season. However, with his talent, the price would be high, especially in light of the Tommy John surgery epidemic. Who will be willing to offer enough for Skenes? Who will be able to convince the Pirates and the 23-year-old pitcher himself?
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