Pirates' Skenes no longer has to be perfect with improved offense

The 2025 NL Cy Young winner is thriving with more run support in 2026.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 3:21pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball pitcher's motion and the energy of a high-scoring game, with vibrant colors representing the Pirates' uniforms and stadium environment.The Pirates' revamped offense has given their ace pitcher Paul Skenes the freedom to evolve his game, no longer needing to be perfect to give his team a chance to win.Today in Pittsburgh

Paul Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates' ace pitcher and reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, no longer has to be nearly perfect on the mound to give his team a chance to win. After struggling with a lack of run support last season, the Pirates' offense has been transformed in 2026, allowing Skenes to be more aggressive and evolve as a pitcher.

Why it matters

Skenes' dominance on the mound was often overshadowed by the Pirates' anemic offense in 2025, when they were last in the majors in runs, home runs, and RBIs. The team's aggressive offseason moves to upgrade the lineup have paid off early, giving Skenes the freedom to take more chances and focus on developing his repertoire rather than trying to be flawless every outing.

The details

In a 16-5 victory over the Washington Nationals, Skenes was hoping the Pirates would stop scoring in the 10-run sixth inning so he could get back to work. The offense has been a stark contrast to last season, when the Pirates scored three runs or fewer 18 times in Skenes' 32 starts. Offseason acquisitions like second baseman Brandon Lowe and first baseman/outfielder Ryan O'Hearn have provided a major boost, while Oneil Cruz has shown maturity and consistency at the plate.

  • Skenes became the fifth-fastest pitcher in major league history to reach 400 strikeouts, doing so in his 59th start.
  • The victory over the Nationals came just over 24 hours after the Pirates allowed the Chicago Cubs to rally and avoid a sweep.

The players

Paul Skenes

The Pittsburgh Pirates' ace pitcher and reigning National League Cy Young Award winner.

Brandon Lowe

A two-time All-Star second baseman acquired by the Pirates in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays in December.

Ryan O'Hearn

A first baseman/outfielder signed by the Pirates to a two-year deal in free agency.

Oneil Cruz

The Pirates' talented but inconsistent center fielder who has shown maturity and consistency at the plate this season.

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What they’re saying

“It just took forever, which is what you want. I feel like that inning everybody (was) just pulling the rope and passing it off to the next guy. It was cool to watch.”

— Paul Skenes, Pitcher

“It's pretty fun to hit after a guy hits a ball (that hard). Gets the crowd a little loud. To watch his at-bats, to see the maturity that he has with the power and everything else he has going for him, he's going to be a lot of fun to hit behind this year.”

— Brandon Lowe, Second Baseman

“I told the guys after the game it makes it easy to pitch.”

— Paul Skenes, Pitcher

What’s next

Skenes is scheduled to make his next start against the Tampa Bay Rays, where he may experiment with throwing more changeups.

The takeaway

The Pirates' aggressive offseason moves to upgrade their lineup have paid off early, giving their ace pitcher Paul Skenes the freedom to take more chances and focus on developing his repertoire rather than trying to be flawless every outing. This newfound offensive support could make the Pirates a dangerous team in the NL Central this season.