If you were pumped for a classic pitching duel between Paul Skenes and Logan Webb, you probably needed a stiff drink after Tuesday night. What was supposed to be a showdown between aces turned into an absolute nightmare, with both starters combining to give up a staggering 14 earned runs in the first three innings. This wasn’t just a bad outing for two pitchers; it was a full-blown meltdown that shone a harsh light on their uncharacteristic 2026 seasons.
Skenes’ Uncharacteristic Blowup Shows What’s At Stake
Paul Skenes got through the first inning cleanly, and you thought maybe he was going to settle in. Nope. The second inning was brutal, starting with a leadoff walk and then an infield single. After a sacrifice bunt, Skenes coughed up back-to-back RBI singles and then, the killer blow, a three-run home run to Rafael Devers. Seriously, you could feel the air go out of the stadium. While he did work a clean third and fourth, Skenes was pulled with two outs in the fifth after throwing 95 pitches. He finished the night having allowed five earned runs, pushing his ERA from 3.79 to 3.97. This isn’t just an ugly stat line; Skenes, a former NL Rookie of the Year and NL Cy Young winner, has never finished a season with an ERA over 2.0. Now, barring some truly lights-out performances to close out the regular season, he’s almost guaranteed to do just that. He came into this game with a 9-11 record, and you have to wonder if he can find his old form before time runs out.
Logan Webb’s Historic Implosion Rocks The Giants
As bad as Skenes’ day was, Logan Webb’s was somehow even worse. The Giants’ ace gave up two earned runs in the first inning on RBI singles from Nick Gonzales and Oneil Cruz. He looked like he might right the ship with a clean second, but then the third inning happened. He allowed four consecutive singles, then issued back-to-back walks with the bases loaded. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, another RBI single came through before he was finally pulled from the game with the bases still loaded and no outs. Braxton Roxby came in, and two more runs that were Webb’s responsibility crossed the plate. His final line for the game was a gut-punch: just two innings pitched, nine earned runs allowed from nine hits and two walks. He threw only 65 pitches before getting yanked. This was the most earned runs he’d ever given up in a start, and it was his second-shortest outing ever. Webb’s ERA ballooned from 3.72 to 4.21, and if it stays above 4.0, it’ll be the first time he’s had an ERA over 3.65 since way back in 2020. This is a massive hit to a pitcher who has been a consistent presence.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently 67-71, sitting in fourth place in the NL Central. They are just six games back of the final NL Wild Card spot, so every game, especially one like this, is huge. The San Francisco Giants are 57-81 and also in fourth, but in the NL West. They are 16 games back of the third Wild Card spot, meaning they need a hefty winning streak, like, yesterday. Both of these teams desperately need their aces to get it together, and fast. You have to wonder how these disastrous starts will impact their fight for a postseason berth in the crucial weeks ahead.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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