Paul Skenes, the dude who absolutely *dominated* the National League last year and snatched up the Cy Young Award, is officially not the same pitcher in 2026. Seriously, it’s wild. Ahead of his final scheduled start of the season, Skenes is rocking a 3.97 ERA over his 31 starts. Remember that ridiculous 1.97 ERA from last year? Yeah, that’s almost a two-run difference. You know something is seriously off when a talent like that takes such a hit.
The WBC Called Out As The “Root” Of His Struggles
So, what the heck happened to the flamethrower everyone was talking about? When the Pittsburgh Pirates ace was pressed on the difference this season, Skenes didn’t mince words. He pointed directly to the World Baseball Classic in early 2026 as a major reason for his struggles with both command and velocity. “There are a lot of other factors,” he admitted, “so I don’t want to put everything on that. But I feel like that was kind of the root of it a little bit.” It’s a huge admission, right? The WBC, that high-stakes international tournament, running from March 5 to 17, completely messing with a Cy Young winner’s entire year.
Velocity Drop And The Cost Of An Early Ramp-Up
This isn’t just Skenes talking. The numbers back him up big time. That triple-digit fastball he was known for? It’s become a rarity this year. As a rookie in 2024, his fastball averaged a blistering 98.8 mph. Last year, he was still throwing heat at 98.1 mph. But this season, it’s dipped even further, averaging 96.8 mph. That’s a significant 2 MPH drop from his rookie year, and it shows on the mound. Skenes highlighted the timing: “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.” Instead, he was pushing hard. He knows it’s not an easy fix either, saying, “Unfortunately, it’s probably going to take an offseason to get it back.”
A Season Derailed, But Not For Lack Of Effort
Look, the guy is still striking out batters. He’s fanned 192 guys in 168 innings this year, which is still a solid clip, not far off his 216 K’s in 187 2/3 innings from last year. But you can’t ignore the ERA and the velocity. That electric stuff that made him a Cy Young winner just isn’t consistently there. It’s a tough situation, and Skenes isn’t shy about it, stating, “It [The WBC] definitely affected the year. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m the only one. Definitely didn’t make things easier.” It’s a stark reminder of the delicate balance pros face prepping for a grueling MLB season.
While a star pitcher faces a long offseason to rediscover his form, our very own Seattle Mariners are grinding out wins! The M’s battled their way to a clutch 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies. That’s the kind of tough, close game we love to see, proving every single win counts for this squad.
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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