Paul Skenes' start moved back as Pirates rest struggling ace
ESPN • • sports
Key Points:
- The Pittsburgh Pirates have postponed Paul Skenes' next start by three days, moving it from Sunday to Wednesday to give the struggling pitcher extra rest amid a difficult performance stretch.
- Manager Don Kelly emphasized the decision was not due to injury, and Skenes expressed support for the move, citing fatigue as a possible factor in his recent struggles.
- Skenes has experienced a significant drop in fastball velocity this season, averaging 95.7 mph recently compared to 98.8 mph in 2024, and has a 5.79 ERA over his last nine starts.
- The Pirates are currently in last place in the NL Central, having lost 16 of their past 23 games, and are 6½ games out of the final wild-card spot.
- Right-hander Lake Bachar is scheduled to start Sunday’s game against the Red Sox, likely in a bullpen game, as the Pirates aim to manage pitching workloads amid a challenging season.
