BRADENTON, Fla. – As Paul Skenes’ lumbering stride crossed from Field 1 to Field 2 at the Pittsburgh Pirates’ spring training complex, a wave of humanity followed his every step.
Kids wearing LSU hats or donning fake mustaches in tribute to the reigning National League Rookie of the Year scampered around ropes in a wave of humanity, shouting his name in hopes of snagging an autograph. Parents followed suit, skin pale from the Pittsburgh winter and determined to bask in the brightest ray of sunshine to touch the Pirates organization this decade.
At 6-7 and 235 pounds, Skenes could not hide on a baseball diamond if he tried. Yet Saturday, when he faced live batters for the first time this spring, it only illuminated how much has changed in one year, when Skenes faced enormous expectations in his first full professional season and more than exceeded them.
Now, it is about refinement and efficiency and raising floors along with ceilings – a daunting task when you finish third in Cy Young Award voting just 23 starts into your career. Yet this is Skenes: So talented, almost equally focused and quietly setting the stage for a much-anticipated Year 2.
“Obviously, it’s a privilege. It’s not something I’m going to run away from,” says Skenes of his status as the most notorious Pirate, his profile cresting in the Steel City and almost equally across Major League Baseball. “It’s not something I noticed a ton. I noticed it today and that was pretty much the first time.
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“Things change. People talk to you differently and all that kind of stuff. But at the end of the day, it’s about executing.”
That Skenes did in 2024: He struck out 170 batters in 133 innings, pitched to a 1.96 ERA, posted a 0.95 WHIP and most important, the Pirates won 15 of his 23 starts. The dominance exceeded even the considerable hype that came with his No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 draft out of LSU.
And given the ease with which the ball rockets from his hand at an average 98.8 mph, and the hopeless waves at the ball as opposing batters struck out 33% of the time, it only felt like a beginning.
To that end: Skenes started just 23 games last year, but that number will, given good health, begin with a three this year. He has been tinkering with two new pitches – a cutter and a running- two-seam fastball – to pair with his fastball and devastating “splinker” that were more than enough to silence lineups last year.
“Man, anything that looks like a fastball and doesn’t end up being a fastball – we all know how special his fastballs are,” says pitching coach Oscar Marin. “That’s just something that’s going to open up the zone even more.”
Most notably, Skenes hopes to improve his pitch efficiency – no, not by pitching to contact, silly, but rather ramping up first-strike percentages and put batters away sooner in counts. Even as he adjusted to the big leagues, Skenes completed six innings in 15 of his 23 starts and pitched into the seventh in five more.
And then there is the Being Paul Skenes piece of it.
‘Welcome to second grade’
Far from a wide-eyed rookie a year ago, Skenes nonetheless had to shake a lot of hands and listen furtively to veteran voices. He’d reach the major leagues by May and never look back, while forming a 1-2 duo and kinship with fellow SoCal rookie Jared Jones.
Jones and Skenes and veteran Mitch Keller all want that Opening Day assignment, which would seem likely to go to the reigning Rookie of the Year. Yet it is the conversations and conservation of energy among that group that should both benefit the Pirates and change the dynamic for their marquee attraction.
“Last year, I was meeting everybody,” says Skenes. “(This year) It’s definitely less of that, ‘I’m the new kid in school. Moreso, ‘Welcome to second grade.’ All your first-grade friends are back (after) a long summer.
“Good to see everybody. And we have a unique opportunity to create a dynamic in the locker room this year.”
Skenes’ off-season was a little different than his teammates. He and girlfriend Livvy Dunne, the LSU gymnast and online force, are in demand from red carpets to the Super Bowl to all things Baton Rouge.
Skenes’ public persona is that of slow-pulsed, unperturbed dude, be it from borderline paparazzi situations to the standard demands of an elite athlete in a town like Pittsburgh.
“He did a remarkable job managing that and continued it into this offseason,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington tells USA TODAY Sports. “It comes along with the territory of who he is, but there’s a lot of interest in him around the world and a lot of interest in his time.
“In some ways, I joke about it that spring training is maybe an opportunity to be a baseball player again. Show up early with the guys, have breakfast, do your bullpen, take a breath. I’d be happy for him if he’s able to do that.”
Yes, there’s plenty of anticipation, baseball-wise, and not just on the days Skenes pitches.
Raise the floor, raise the roof
The Pirates have finished last or second-to-last in the NL Central for eight consecutive years. And after their three-year run of wild card success last decade, they’ve missed the playoffs in 29 of the past 32 seasons.
The club has once again brought back Andrew McCutchen, the 2013 NL MVP, and also reunited with infielder Adam Frazier, a Bucco from 2016 until a 2021 trade.
Frazier stepped into the box against Skenes in his live batting practice session and, although Skenes is nowhere near ramped up, called it “electric” and saw plenty of pitches no competent batter could do anything with.
He hopes the group can awaken the town from its hardball slumber.
“Pittsburgh cares about their baseball,” says Frazier. “They’re hungry for some winning. We want to be able to give them that. It’s cool to be appreciated by the city like that.
“They support their guys. They care deeply and it’s cool that they have our back.”
Says manager Derek Shelton: “I think Paul is laying the groundwork to be a big fixture in the Pittsburgh community. Not only with the things he does on the field, but off I think he embraces that.
“When you kind of hit the baseball world by storm like he did last year, fans are going to attach themselves. Not just in Pittsburgh but throughout the league we’ve seen that.”
Skenes’ Rookie of the Year conquest means he already has one full year of service time. A repeat of that season would likely stimulate the Pirates’ interest in attempting to lock down Skenes past the five more years he currently has under their control.
Yet that episode is likely another year away. For now, Skenes hopes the good vibes trickle down to Jones and Keller to Bailey Falter and Johan Oviedo, or anyone else that may crack the rotation.
“If we raise the floor on our staff, as well as raise the ceiling – that’s the goal, to get better as we go on,” says Skenes. “That’s the opportunity. Regardless of who’s the guy.”
It’s not hard to figure out who the guy is. Just follow the scampering, stumbling masses in hot pursuit of the Rookie of the Year.