Can Pirates' Paul Skenes continue to put Opening Day blowup in past?

Pittsburgh's star starting pitcher continues to rebound, targeting a second NL Cy Young award.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 5:03am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting a baseball pitcher's motion and delivery, broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric planes in vibrant colors like navy blue, forest green, and burnt orange.A cubist interpretation of Pirates ace Paul Skenes' resilient pitching performance, breaking down his delivery into geometric abstraction.Today in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Pirates starter Paul Skenes escaped a bases-loaded, zero-outs situation in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays' clutch offense on Saturday, continuing to distance himself from his disastrous Opening Day start. Skenes, who won the NL Cy Young award in 2025, has rebounded with a 1.56 ERA over his previous three starts after allowing five earned runs in two-thirds of an inning on Opening Day.

Why it matters

Skenes is one of the top pitchers in baseball, and his ability to bounce back from a poor start will be crucial for the Pirates' playoff hopes this season. The team is counting on Skenes to lead their rotation and potentially win another Cy Young award.

The details

Facing a bases-loaded, zero-outs situation in the second inning, Skenes induced a groundout, a strikeout, and another groundout to escape the jam. The Rays have been one of the best teams in the league at driving in runs in those situations, but Skenes was able to shut them down. Since his Opening Day disaster, Skenes has a 1.56 ERA over his previous three starts, covering 17.1 innings.

  • On Opening Day, Skenes allowed five earned runs in two-thirds of an inning.
  • In his four starts since March 26, Skenes has yielded just three earned runs, lowering his ERA to 3.27.

The players

Paul Skenes

A star starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates who won the NL Cy Young award in 2025.

Oneil Cruz

The Pirates' center fielder whose misplays played a major role in Skenes' disastrous Opening Day start.

Hunter Feduccia

A Tampa Bay Rays player who grounded into a fielder's choice to help Skenes escape the bases-loaded jam.

Richie Palacios

A Tampa Bay Rays player who was called out via runner's interference to help Skenes escape the bases-loaded jam.

Taylor Walls

The Tampa Bay Rays' shortstop who struck out looking on a full-count, 98-mph four-seam fastball from Skenes.

Chandler Simpson

One of the hottest hitters in MLB this season, playing for the Tampa Bay Rays, who grounded out against Skenes to end the inning.

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What’s next

Skenes will look to continue his rebound in his next start, as the Pirates aim to keep pace in the NL Central division race.

The takeaway

Skenes' ability to bounce back from a disastrous Opening Day start and regain his Cy Young form is crucial for the Pirates' playoff hopes this season. His performance in Saturday's game against the Rays showed his resilience and composure, which will be key as he tries to win another Cy Young award.