Paul Skenes Links Velocity Dip to World Baseball Classic Participation
Pirates' ace Paul Skenes believes his participation in the World Baseball Classic disrupted his usual spring training ramp-up, contributing to a dip in fastball velocity and a higher ERA this season.
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes suggested that his involvement in the World Baseball Classic earlier this year played a role in his struggles this season, particularly a concerning dip in his fastball velocity. Skenes stated that the tournament disrupted his typical spring training progression, which may have impacted his performance throughout the season.
"I feel like that was kind of the root of it a little bit," Skenes told the Post-Gazette, referring to the World Baseball Classic. "There are a lot of other factors, so I don’t want to put everything on that."
Skenes, who previously posted ERAs of 1.97 and 1.96 in consecutive seasons, has a 3.91 ERA this year. He noted that during the World Baseball Classic, pitchers are not typically throwing at maximum effort. He explained that normally, this time of year allows pitchers to gradually increase their velocity, but the tournament format did not provide that opportunity.
"Usually, that time of year, you’re kind of ramping up and it’s a little bit slow. You can kind of get onto the slope and find your body," Skenes said. "One live (batting practice), you’re topping at 97 (mph), and then the next you’re 98, 99. And that wasn’t the case this year. ... Looking back, I don’t think that really helped."
In his rookie season in 2024, Skenes averaged 98.8 mph on his fastball, followed by 98.1 mph last season. This year, his average velocity has decreased to 96.8 mph. Skenes attempted mechanical adjustments to increase his velocity but found them unsuccessful.
"Unfortunately, it’s probably going to take an offseason to get it back," Skenes said. "Yeah, it’s just tough."
While Skenes acknowledged other contributing factors to his performance, he believes the World Baseball Classic had a significant impact, suggesting that other pitchers may have experienced similar effects. The Pirates anticipate Skenes will use the offseason to regain his previous form and help the team contend in the upcoming seasons, pending potential labor disruptions.