The Pittsburgh Pirates find themselves in a familiar situation-struggling despite strong individual performances.
While their starting pitchers, led by a standout rotation, rank first in the National League in innings pitched (127.2) and fourth in the majors in fWAR (2.5), the team’s bullpen and lineup remain massive weaknesses. As a result, the Pirates sit at the bottom of the NL Central standings with a disappointing 8-15 record heading into Monday’s games.
Despite the Pirates’ lackluster performance, the fans still showed up in force at PNC Park for Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians.
The team was giving away Paul Skenes bobbleheads, and the 22-year-old pitcher himself was on the mound. Unfortunately, the outcome remained the same: a shutout loss to Cleveland.
After the game, Skenes made it clear how frustrated he was with the team’s early struggles. While he appreciated the large turnout and support from fans, particularly for the bobblehead giveaway, he was visibly upset about the loss.
“It’s cool to see fans out here supporting us, but we can’t keep losing,” Skenes said, reflecting his dissatisfaction with the team’s performance.
Pittsburgh are facing an awful season
Skenes, who has been one of the few bright spots for the Pirates this season, pitched exceptionally well on his bobblehead night. He threw seven strong innings, allowing just two runs on six hits.
Unfortunately, his stellar performance couldn’t prevent the Pirates from losing, as the team failed to capitalize on his efforts. This has been an ongoing issue for Pittsburgh-strong individual showings from pitchers like Skenes, but a lack of support from the rest of the team.
Following his stellar NL Rookie of the Year campaign in 2024, Skenes has continued to impress in 2025. With a 2.87 ERA in five starts and 31.1 innings, he’s been a consistent and reliable force, averaging over six innings per start and allowing two runs or fewer in four of his five outings. Despite this, the Pirates have only managed a 2-3 record when Skenes starts.
The Pirates are in a unique position-thanks to their elite, cost-effective pitching rotation, they have a real opportunity to compete in the weak NL Central.
But with major weaknesses in their bullpen and lineup, they are stuck in last place. Instead of making moves to strengthen these areas, the Pirates have remained stagnant, wasting the potential of a solid pitching staff.
Skenes has voiced his concerns about the team before, making it clear that he has a strong desire to win. His frustration with the current state of the Pirates is obvious, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that the team’s failure to address their weaknesses may ultimately push Skenes away.
Fans are left wondering just how long he will stay with the Pirates before he looks to move on to a more competitive team. As long as the Pirates continue to underperform, Skenes’ future in Pittsburgh will remain uncertain.
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