By Zoey
The meticulous preparation that has quickly defined Paul Skenes’ rise to prominence has already become a hallmark of his brief but electric career. Yet even the Pittsburgh ace acknowledges that no amount of pregame planning can fully predict what will unfold once he steps onto the mound and faces live hitters.
On Thursday afternoon at PNC Park, the uncertainty tilted against him. The right-hander, who has built a reputation for overpowering lineups, found himself uncharacteristically vulnerable as the St. Louis Cardinals capitalized early and often in a 10-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, completing a commanding four-game sweep.
The tone of the game was established almost immediately. Just three pitches into the contest, Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt turned on a fastball and sent it into the right-field seats, a jarring start for a pitcher accustomed to dictating terms. The early blow was followed swiftly by further damage, as Jordan Walker punished a sweeper that failed to break as intended, driving it into the left-field bleachers to give St. Louis a rapid multi-run advantage.
For Skenes, the outing represented a rare disruption in what has otherwise been a remarkably consistent ascent. Charged with five runs, four of them earned, he absorbed the loss and fell to 4-2 on the season. More notably, the defeat extended his winless record against St. Louis to 0-5, a statistic that belies his effectiveness; even after Thursday’s performance, his earned run average against the Cardinals remains a respectable 2.95.
Manager Don Kelly was quick to frame the result within the broader context of Skenes’ high standards, emphasizing that the expectations surrounding the young pitcher are largely self-imposed. The Pirates, he suggested, have grown accustomed to being lifted by their ace and must reciprocate when he encounters adversity.
The difficulties began with a noticeable dip in velocity and command. Skenes fell behind hitters early in counts, including the pivotal at-bat against Wetherholt, where a 95 mph fastball—below his typical upper-90s range—proved hittable. The Cardinals maintained an aggressive approach throughout, refusing to be passive and instead attacking pitches early in counts, a strategy that paid dividends.
Following Wetherholt’s leadoff homer, Ivan Herrera contributed with an infield single, and Walker’s home run shortly thereafter compounded the early deficit. Although Skenes settled into a more stable rhythm as the game progressed—recording a season-high nine strikeouts—St. Louis continued to generate timely offense whenever opportunities arose.
In the third inning, Alec Burleson reached on an infield hit, and a defensive miscue by rookie Konnor Griffin allowed the inning to extend, setting the stage for an RBI single from Nolan Gorman. Two innings later, Burleson added to the tally with a softly hit single that plated another run, underscoring the Cardinals’ ability to convert even marginal contact into production.
Skenes, maintaining his characteristic candor, offered a blunt assessment when asked about his struggles against St. Louis, noting simply that they have managed to outscore his team. The remark reflected both his competitive mindset and the straightforward reality of the matchup.
Despite the loss, there were elements of resilience in his performance. After the early surge, he limited further damage and continued to miss bats at an elite rate. However, the combination of early deficits and inconsistent command proved too much for Pittsburgh to overcome.
The defeat leaves the Pirates at an even 16-16, a far steadier opening than the previous season but one that places them slightly off the pace in a tightly contested National League Central. With the division-leading Cincinnati Reds set to arrive for the next series, the timing of the slump adds urgency to Pittsburgh’s response.
Veteran infielder Brandon Lowe, one of several offseason additions brought in to support the club’s emerging core, highlighted the perspective within the clubhouse. He noted that expectations around Skenes have become so elevated that even relatively modest run totals allowed can be perceived as struggles—an indication of how dominant the young pitcher has been.
Lowe himself provided a bright spot with his eighth home run of the season, but the broader sentiment within the team remains focused on maintaining composure. Rather than allowing a difficult stretch to spiral, players emphasized the importance of recalibrating and returning to the fundamentals that fueled their early-season promise.
For Skenes and the Pirates, the challenge now lies not in overreacting to a rare off day, but in reestablishing rhythm. As his track record already suggests, outings like Thursday’s are the exception rather than the rule.
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