Opening Day had fans taking a longer look at Paul Skenes than usual. Unfortunately, it wasn't for the reasons Pirates fans had hoped.
Skenes didn’t make it out of the first inning, with his pitch count soaring and the Mets capitalizing on every opportunity. Yet, Pirates manager Don Kelly remains unfazed.
Kelly's focus wasn't solely on Skenes but rather on the elements surrounding him. A couple of missed plays in center field turned potential outs into extended innings.
"When you don't make those two plays in center field, it makes it tough because they could have been outs," Kelly explained. These defensive lapses inflated the pitch count and kept Skenes laboring on the mound longer than anticipated.
Despite the rough start, Kelly wasn't about to blow things out of proportion. "It's a really tough thing going to get him in the first inning," he said.
"But at the bottom of it is Paul's health ... We had to make the move."
This decision underscores the Pirates’ commitment to Skenes’ long-term health over one challenging inning.
Skenes himself was straightforward in his assessment. "They did a really good job," he acknowledged.
"In the moment, maybe a little frustrating, just gotta execute earlier ... Leadoff walk is not great."
No excuses, just a recognition that a few pitches missed their mark and that the batting average on balls in play was unusually high.
Importantly, Skenes' velocity and approach remained intact. The issue was a lack of a clean first inning, exacerbated by plays that should have been outs. This nuance often gets lost in the box score.
Opening Day always seems to amplify performances, for better or worse. But within the Pirates clubhouse, there was no panic.
Kelly pointed out the defensive miscues, and Skenes owned his part in the execution. They weren't searching for answers; they knew what needed addressing.
Skenes is poised for many dominant outings this season. An off day was inevitable; it just happened to coincide with Opening Day, making it feel more significant than it was.
The key takeaway? It was just one inning on one day, and there's plenty of season left for Skenes to shine.