Paul Skenes didn’t deliver the 2026 season the Pirates imagined, but he did leave PNC Park with a finish that felt just right.
With Pittsburgh and St. Louis tied 1-1 in the seventh inning Thursday, Skenes came back out for one more batter at 95 pitches and one clear target in front of him: strikeout No.
- Don Kelly gave him that chance.
Skenes made it count, striking out Leo Bernal before heading off the mound to a loud ovation.
Kelly, on the other hand, got a very different reaction when he came out to end the right-hander’s night after 96 pitches. Pirates fans booed the move, and it was easy to understand why.
When Skenes is on the mound, the appetite for more is always there. But in this case, the decision fit the moment.
Skenes’ final line was strong: 6 1/3 innings, three hits, one earned run, two walks and eight strikeouts. More important, his last batter of the year gave him his 200th strikeout of the season, a clean ending to a year that had too often been defined by frustration and questions.
The season itself landed at 10-11 with a 3.82 ERA and 200 strikeouts over 174 1/3 innings. For most pitchers, that would be a very good year.
For Skenes, it felt different because he set the bar so high so fast. Once he established himself as one of the game’s most dominant arms, anything less than Cy Young-level excellence was always going to read like a step back.
That’s what made Thursday stand out. Even with velocity swings at times, and even with starts where hitters did more damage than Pirates fans were used to seeing, Skenes still reached the 200-strikeout mark.
Kelly could have pulled him after six innings. Instead, he sent him back out with the milestone sitting there, and Skenes delivered.
It also put him in a small piece of franchise history. Skenes became the first Pirates pitcher to post consecutive 200-strikeout seasons since Bob Veale from 1964-1966.
The Pirates’ postseason hopes are gone, so there was no reason to push him any further. Thursday gave them something else: a final Skenes moment that didn’t need an asterisk, an explanation or a qualifier.
In Other News...
Pirates Just Closed The Book On One Young Pitchers First Shot
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With the season winding down, the move keeps Sisk in the mix for the final stretch while Curtis returns to the next step in his development. For a club that has spent much of the year sorting through arms and auditioning options, the transaction reads less like a surprise than another reminder that the Pirates are already thinking about how these pieces fit beyond the present. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Still Have One Frustrating Offensive Problem To Solve
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That split stands out even on a club that did set franchise records in other offensive categories this year, which makes the problem feel all the more frustrating. Manager Don Kelly acknowledged the challenge against lefties and pointed to a mix of individual performances and injuries that affected the lineup, but it remains the kind of weakness that can undo a good stretch fast if it is not addressed going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Bullpen Overhaul Leaves One Big 2027 Question
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Montgomery has already taken over the closer role, giving the Pirates at least one defined answer in a bullpen that is otherwise headed for more change. Gregory Soto and Kirby Yates are set to reach free agency, while Luke Weaver remains under contract with part of his salary still being paid by his former team. Even after this round of moves, the bigger question for Pittsburgh is how much of the 2027 relief picture is already taking shape, and how much of it is still to be sorted out. [Read more 🡒]