Paul Skenes faced a challenging start to the 2026 MLB season, exiting after just two-thirds of an inning in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ opening game. The 23-year-old reigning NL Cy Young Award winner threw 37 pitches, recorded two outs, allowed five runs, and hit New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez with a pitch.
Manager’s Quick Hook
Pirates manager Don Kelly removed Skenes from the mound following the difficult frame, prioritizing pitch count. Skenes appeared stunned during his walk back to the dugout.
The Pirates gained an early advantage when Tampa Bay Rays’ Brandon Lowe hit a two-run home run in the top of the first, setting up Skenes to safeguard the lead. However, command issues surfaced immediately.
“Yeah, really tough inning for us,” Kelly stated after the inning. “It’s pitch-count related really, for him. I don’t want to push him into the mid-40s.”
Pre-Game Optimism
Entering the game, Skenes expressed strong ambitions for the team. “We want to win the division. We want to make the playoffs. That’s it. How we do that, who knows?” he said on Wednesday. “I don’t want to put a number of games out there because that’s just putting a ceiling on us. We’ve got to go out there and play well every day. We have a good team. Now we’ve got to go out there and win.”
Former MLB pitcher Adam Ottavino, providing commentary, noted the setback: “It’s a bit of a nightmare, you’d be hoping he cleans up five or six innings. You’ve got to move on, you have to move on.”
