Pittsburgh Pirates ace and reigning National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes won’t be taking the mound Sunday as planned, instead getting extra rest ahead of his next start. This isn’t just a minor schedule tweak. When your bona fide ace is getting sidelined for “recovery” even when his manager insists it’s “not related to injury,” you gotta wonder what’s simmering beneath the surface.
The Ace Under Scrutiny
Skenes was all set to toe the rubber against the Red Sox this Sunday, but now his next start is pushed back to Wednesday, taking on the Tigers. Manager Don Kelly said Skenes “was ready to go,” but they felt it would “give him a few more days to recover” and offer other pitchers a break too. Recover from what, exactly, if not an injury? That’s the million-dollar question swirling around the Pirates’ clubhouse, right? Skenes, for his part, said he’s okay with it, even though he “threw my bullpen and everything yesterday, and was fully anticipating starting tomorrow.” He’s backing Donny’s decision, but you can hear the competitive fire when he admits, “I kind of wish it weren’t the case, that I was starting tomorrow, because that’s something I pride myself on.”
This 2026 season has been a struggle for Skenes, definitely not up to his usual ridiculous standards. He’s sitting on a 3.88 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, with 166 Ks in 134.2 innings, and 37 walks. Solid numbers for many pitchers, but not for a reigning Cy Young winner who boasted a 1.96 ERA over his first 55 MLB starts. The big red flag flashed just days ago when he was pulled after only 65 pitches and five innings against the Marlins, allowing two runs, one earned, and striking out four. What’s more, for the first time in his MLB career, he didn’t throw a single pitch at least 97 mph in that outing. His average fastball velocity has dipped from a blazing 98.2 mph in 2025 to 96.8 mph this year. Skenes hasn’t been a “liability” , his 2.99 FIP and fifth-best K/BB ratio among NL qualifiers prove that , but he’s far from the frontline force everyone expects.
Playoff Dreams Fading Fast
This isn’t just about Skenes, though. This move screams desperation for a team seeing its playoff hopes vanish. The Pirates actually angled to contend in 2026, with owner Bob Nutting opening his wallet for roster investments at levels “uncommon” for him. For much of the season, they were right there, holding strong, in or very close to a playoff spot. Now? They’re limping into Sunday’s game with a dismal 60-65 record, dead last in the NL Central. And on the wild-card front, it’s even worse: they’re 6 ½ games out of the third and final spot, with five teams blocking their path. When your superstar pitcher needs “recovery time” and your season is spiraling, it hits different, doesn’t it? Every decision gets magnified.
What’s Next for the Bucs?
So, instead of Skenes, Lake Bachar gets the nod to start against the Red Sox on Sunday. Then, all eyes turn to Wednesday when Skenes is slated to face the Tigers. Can a few extra days off truly reset a pitcher who’s used to absolute dominance? Can it bring back that lost velocity and help him reclaim the form that earned him a Cy Young? Or is this just a band-aid on a gushing wound for a team whose season, despite those “uncommon” investments, is clearly in trouble? Pirate fans have got to be on the edge of their seats, hoping their ace can turn this ship around, because time is running out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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