Pirates' Skenes Reveals His 'Happy' and 'Sad' Faces Are the Same

Cy Young winner opens up about his stoic on-field demeanor in new interview

Apr. 9, 2026 at 9:24pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a baseball pitcher's face in multiple fragmented perspectives, with sharp geometric planes and muted colors conveying the complex emotions behind Skenes' stoic public persona.Skenes' reserved on-field demeanor conceals a more complex inner life, as revealed in a new interview.Today in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, admitted in a new interview that his facial expressions don't vary much between happy and sad moments, saying 'my happy face and my sad face are kinda the same face.' The 23-year-old, who is known for his reserved on-field persona, revealed he does have thoughts and emotions, but simply isn't good at outwardly expressing them.

Why it matters

Skenes' reserved demeanor on the mound has become part of his public persona, with the young ace often compared to past pitching greats like Sandy Koufax who were known for their stoicism. However, Skenes' comments provide a rare glimpse into his inner thoughts and feelings, challenging the perception that he lacks personality or a sense of humor.

The details

In the interview with ESPN's Jeff Passan, Skenes was asked about his muted reactions compared to some of his more expressive peers. When Passan said Skenes' 'demeanor' is different from pitchers like Tarik Skubal, the Pirates ace quipped 'Good,' implying he prefers to keep his emotions in check. Skenes explained, 'I think I do have thoughts and emotions and stuff like that, but I don't think I show it, partly because I don't want to show it, and partly because I'm just not good at showing it.'

  • Skenes won the National League Cy Young Award in 2025.

The players

Paul Skenes

A 23-year-old starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates who won the National League Cy Young Award in 2025 and was named Rookie of the Year in 2024.

Tarik Skubal

A pitcher known for his expressive demeanor on the mound, in contrast to Skenes' more reserved style.

Jeff Passan

An ESPN reporter who interviewed Skenes and noted the pitcher's stoic on-field persona.

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What they’re saying

“Good”

— Paul Skenes, Pitcher

“The demeanor each of you has on the mound, it's not like, diametrically opposed, but Tarik [Skubal], he's pretty damn fired up out there, but Paul, you're not. I just got a look there though, and I'll be honest that scared the s*** out of me a little bit.”

— Jeff Passan, Reporter

“I think I do have thoughts and emotions and stuff like that, but I don't think I show it, partly because I don't want to show it, and partly because I'm just not good at showing it. Like, my happy face and my sad face are kinda the same face.”

— Paul Skenes, Pitcher

The takeaway

Skenes' comments provide a rare glimpse into the personality of one of baseball's most reserved young stars, challenging the perception that he lacks emotion or a sense of humor. While the pitcher prefers to keep his feelings in check on the mound, his self-awareness about his stoic demeanor suggests there is more depth to Skenes than his public persona might suggest.