TAMPA -- For all the trials and tribulations the Pirates have had at the outset of the 2025 season, one fact remains true every fifth day:
They have Paul Skenes, and the other team does not.
Skenes was on point in his second start of the season on Wednesday, allowing only three hits and one unearned run over seven frames as the Pirates beat the Rays, 4-2, at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The victory snapped Pittsburgh¡¯s four-game losing streak.
¡°When you're not playing well or things are going tough, that's what you expect [from your ace],¡± manager Derek Shelton said. ¡°He stepped up and did it.¡±
¡°I always want to win,¡± Skenes said. ¡°The last few days haven¡¯t felt too good, so that¡¯s always the goal.¡±
The seven innings tied for Skenes¡¯ second most in a big league start. (He went 8 1/3 against the Cardinals on July 23, 2024.) He is striving for greater efficiency in his sophomore season because he has the stuff where he doesn¡¯t need to nibble; he can still get quick outs by pounding the strike zone.
Skenes was doing that early on against the Rays, permitting quite a bit of contact through the first two innings. It was the first time in 25 Major League starts that Skenes didn¡¯t register a strikeout before the third. But it wasn¡¯t like the Rays could do anything with what the reigning NL Rookie of the Year gave them. Skenes flew through those two frames on 28 pitches. He allowed only one hard-hit ball through five innings. No Rays baserunner got past first base until the sixth.
¡°Skenes is an interesting one, because he had a lot of [strikeouts] last year, but I think he's also [good] pitchability-wise, and getting ground balls and getting outs is part of his game, too,¡± Rays center fielder Jonny DeLuca said. ¡°I think he did that well today. We were putting the ball in play a decent amount and just not getting too many hits."
But the strikeouts would come. Beginning in the third, Skenes began looking more like the dominant hurler we have come to know -- and opposing offenses have come to fear.
He picked up his first K on the 11th batter he faced, handcuffing Brandon Lowe on an 86 mph changeup. That began a string of four strikeouts in five batters for Skenes, who picked up his next three K¡¯s on fastballs between 96-99 mph.
Skenes buckled down in the seventh to pick up his final two outs of the day. After falling behind each hitter, 3-0, he battled back to get Jonathan Aranda to whiff on a sinker and then threw a 98 mph four-seamer -- located in the heart of the zone -- right past Jos¨¦ Caballero.
¡°It¡¯s not as hard as people think it is to throw strikes,¡± Skenes said. ¡°I just did it three pitches too late.¡±
Although he can be hard on himself, Skenes¡¯ final offering to Caballero stood out to his manager.
¡°That you're able to go back and get that at pitch [number] 102, that's what makes Paul Skenes special,¡± Shelton said.
The series finale marked the end of the Pirates¡¯ extended stay in Florida. The club held its first pitchers and catchers workout exactly seven weeks ago at its Spring Training complex in Bradenton.
From there, Pittsburgh has seen star pitcher Jared Jones get shut down by a UCL sprain in his right elbow. The Pirates lost five of their first six games, including a historic trio of walk-off losses in Miami. Closer David Bednar was optioned to Triple-A on Tuesday as his struggles dating back to last season persisted. The offense has scored just 19 runs through its first seven games. Of the nine hitters with at least 15 at-bats this season, only Oneil Cruz -- who homered and stole his MLB-leading sixth base Wednesday -- has an OPS of .800 or better.
There have been mental mistakes, defensive lapses and frustration. But thanks to their one-of-a-kind ace, the Pirates are headed back up north -- finally -- with a reason to be optimistic ahead of Friday¡¯s home opener at PNC Park against the Yankees.
¡°It feels like we've been in Florida a long time -- and I live here,¡± Shelton said. ¡°I think it's going to be nice to get home to Pittsburgh, and I think we're looking forward to seeing our fans.¡±