Paul Skenes Gets a Forced Reset: Pirates Push Back Struggling Ace's Start

The Pittsburgh Pirates are pressing the reset button on their franchise arm. Paul Skenes won't take the mound Sunday against the Red Sox as originally planned. Instead, the struggling ace will get three extra days of recovery and start Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers.

Manager Don Kelly made the call Saturday, and he made it clear: This isn't an injury issue. It's a "get right" issue.

"Ultimately, it was Donny's decision," Skenes told reporters after Saturday's 4-0 loss to Boston, per MLB.com. "But we had talked about it — and like I said after the last start, I'll have his back on whatever that is. I don't necessarily disagree with the decision either."

This move was four days in the making. In his last outing against Miami, Skenes lasted just five innings and threw only 65 pitches while his fastball sat at a career-low 95.7 mph. For a guy who built his name on triple-digit heat, that's a red flag the Pirates can't ignore.

The reigning NL Cy Young winner isn't hiding from the reality of his rough patch. He admitted fatigue could be playing a role and welcomed the extra downtime.

"It certainly can't hurt in terms of recovery, and you add recovery in for anybody and that's going to help," Skenes said. "So, I kind of wish it weren't the case that I was starting tomorrow, because that's something I pride myself on. But in the long run, it's definitely best to just get some recovery time."

The numbers don't lie

Skenes, 24, is 9-11 with a 3.88 ERA and 166 strikeouts — fourth-most in the NL — over 134 2/3 innings this season. But look closer at the last nine starts and the concern is real: a 5.79 ERA.

His fastball velocity has been sliding all year. Average heater this season: 96.8 mph. Last season: 98.1 mph. In 2024: 98.8 mph. That's not just a blip; that's a trend.

For Sunday, the Pirates will turn to right-hander Lake Bachar in what figures to be a bullpen game against Boston. It's a stopgap, not a solution.

The bigger picture? Pittsburgh is 60-65, losers of 16 of their last 23. They sit in last place in the NL Central, 6.5 games out of the final wild-card spot. The season is slipping, and their most important arm needs to find himself again.

Skenes isn't panicking though.

"Everybody deals with stuff," he said. "I think going through a full major league season and not dealing with stuff — I don't know if there's ever been somebody who's done that. So everybody's tired, everybody's grinding, and we just got to keep going."

Rest up, Paul. The Pirates need the real Skenes back — not just for Wednesday, but for the long haul.