Paul Skenes is back on the mound Sunday afternoon in Cleveland, and the Pirates are hoping the right-hander keeps rolling as the second half opens at Progressive Field.
The six-day layoff came after Skenes was chosen for his third straight All-Star Game, though he did not pitch in the game and took full off-days on Monday and Tuesday. He now returns for his 21st start of the season, coming off a stretch that has looked much more like the dominant version of Skenes. After a nine-game winless run that stretched through May, June and early July, he has won his last two starts in blowout fashion.
That recent rebound started against the Braves on July 7, when Skenes allowed two earned runs over six innings. He followed that up last Sunday against the Brewers, looking every bit the Cy Young contender. Skenes gave up two runs in 5 1/3 innings, but the Pirates blew the game open with a 10-run fourth inning that lasted 36 minutes, allowing him to finish after just 82 pitches.
The outing against Milwaukee closed the first half on a strong note, especially after a rough start to July in Philadelphia, where Skenes was tagged for a career-high seven earned runs. Since then, he has settled back in and looked like his usual self.
Cleveland will offer a familiar test. Skenes has faced the Guardians once before, taking the loss on April 19, 2025 despite allowing only two earned runs in seven innings in a 3-0 Pirates defeat. He struck out four and gave up a homer to Kyle Manzardo.
Manzardo is still a name to watch again, but Skenes won’t have to deal with José Ramírez, who remains on the injured list. He’ll also see rookies Travis Bazzana and Chase DeLauter for the first time, both of whom are regulars near the top of Cleveland’s lineup.
One of the bigger talking points around Skenes has been his fastball velocity, which has dipped from 98.2 mph to 96.9 mph. Skenes has said repeatedly that he isn’t worried about the numbers and feels good, and his recent results have backed that up.
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MLBPA Chief Just Turned Up The Heat On Pirates Over Paul Skenes
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Bruce Meyer, the MLBPAs interim executive director, turned up the pressure by pushing back on the familiar line that small-market clubs cannot hold onto elite players. He pointed to examples around the league and said the issue is less about market size than whether players feel treated fairly and believe a team is committed to winning, while also brushing off the future Yankee chatter around Skenes as more noise than certainty. [Read more 🡒]
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Rodrguez has been out with a left glute strain, while Horwitz is working back from a left hamstring strain, and both were giving Pittsburgh needed offense before landing on the injured list. For a club that has been searching for more consistency at the plate, getting those two back into game action would be a welcome step, even if the final stretch of their ramp-up still has to play out. [Read more 🡒]
Billy Cook Had A Bigger Reason To Shine For Pirates
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Cooks work in the field stood out just as much as his bat, and manager Don Kelly took notice afterward. Kelly praised Cooks defense and singled out the strength of his arm in the outfield, the sort of trait that can change innings and give a club an edge. For a Pirates team always looking for reliable all-around contributions, Cook gave them a reminder that his value is not limited to one side of the game. [Read more 🡒]