Paul Skenes, the reigning Cy Young winner, is wrapping up a season with a 3.91 ERA, a number that’s gotta sting when you’re used to dominating. For him, this qualifies as a flat-out bad year, and the guy is pointing a clear finger at the World Baseball Classic for messing with his fastball velocity and his whole vibe for 2026. The Pirates officially got eliminated from postseason contention this past weekend, stuck at 79-77, and Skenes’ down year is definitely one of the main reasons they ain’t playing October baseball.
The Velocity Just Wasn’t There
Man, the numbers are talking, and they’re not saying “Cy Young form.” Skenes threw 168 innings this season, but it wasn’t a smooth ride. We saw a brutal 14-start stretch from May 17 to July 31 where his ERA ballooned to 5.18. That’s rough, especially when the team went 3-11 in those games. He still pitched hard, no doubt, but that raw, jaw-dropping heat was missing. His fastball averaged 96.8 mph this year. Compare that to 98.2 mph last year and 98.9 mph the year before. The real kicker? For the first time in his three MLB seasons, Skenes didn’t throw a single 100 mph pitch. Not one! You know that’s eating at him.
WBC Blame Is Real
So, what’s the deal with the missing velocity? Skenes isn’t shy about it. He told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the World Baseball Classic “was kind of the root of it a little bit.” He’s not putting *everything* on it, but the impact sounds significant. He said, “Usually that time of year, you’re kind of ramping up and it’s a little bit slow. You can kind of get onto the slope and find your body. One live (batting practice), you’re topping at 97, and then the next you’re 98, 99. And that wasn’t the case this year. Looking back, I don’t think that really helped.” He made two starts for Team USA in the WBC, allowing just one run in 8 ⅓ innings, but those strict pitch limits and rest requirements clearly messed with his normal ramp-up. After a rough Opening Day where his defense let him down, Skenes actually had a dominant eight-start stretch with a 1.09 ERA, averaging over six innings per start. But then that rough patch hit, and the velocity dip followed. It’s not an injury, which is good, but his mechanics just seem out of whack, and those fixes take time.
Skenes knows what’s up. He wants that speed back. He admitted, “I didn’t really have a number on it, but I would have liked to throw harder than I have this year. Unfortunately, it’s probably going to take an offseason to get (the velocity) back. Yeah, it’s just tough.” The Pirates had bigger hopes for 2026, making moves to contend, and Skenes was supposed to lead that charge. Now, he’s looking to the offseason to find that fire again.
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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