2026 Pittsburgh Pirates

The record in his starts is irrelevant. People who understand how to evaluate pitchers stopped evaluating them by wins and losses a long time ago. This isn't some decent young pitcher. This guy won a Cy Young award last season. Never mind that it would absolutely be a blow to his confidence, which has likely already taken a hit. What you are suggesting is, at best, a panic move over a guy having a 3.62 ERA.

Some pitchers can handle the switch, but starting a game and coming on in relief are very different things. Starting pitchers are creatures of habit and routine. It is part of how they maintain their mechanics. You are suggesting taking that away as a means to fix the guy. That makes no sense at all. If he really is tired, and I have heard that suggested, skip a start. Let him work on the side for a few days. Yeah, that really sucks for the team, but if it is a choice of losing a few more games or preserving a young ace like Skenes, you preserve the ace.

 

I understand. Nicely written, for a teacher, lol
Something is definitely amiss with Skenes right now, but if our defense would’ve made the plays, and this has happened to Skenes on more than one occasion, note opening day. Skenes might have a better record.
Skenes has been the benefactor of some sloppy fielding in his starts, but doesn’t take away from him giving up a lot of homers lately.
One other poster @Javvy , posted that Skenes is working on other pitches in his arsenal. Which in fact could be the reason he is struggling right now. Get back to the basics that got you the Cy Young last season.

 

I agree that if he is tinkering, that may be a bad idea. I wonder about guys like him trying to tone down on the velocity to protect their arms, too. Maybe pitching in the WBC threw him off. It could be lots of things.