Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes was pulled from his start on Wednesday after surrendering three runs in four-and-a-third innings against the Detroit Tigers. This marks another outing in a difficult stretch for the Pirates' ace.
Skenes was removed after throwing 81 pitches, a move that has raised concerns about his health and endurance as the season progresses. He has posted a 6.52 earned run average over his last four starts, allowing 14 earned runs in that period. Additionally, Skenes has seen a decrease in his pitching velocity and has walked four batters in three of his last four appearances.
The Pirates organization has stated that Skenes is healthy but is experiencing the stress and exhaustion of pitching a full Major League Baseball season. This explanation is notable as Skenes largely completed the previous MLB season without similar issues, according to reports.
Skenes' struggles have coincided with the Pirates' fading playoff aspirations. The team currently trails the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers by 16.5 games and is five-and-a-half games out of a Wild Card spot. Earlier in August, Skenes drew some public attention for his physique after being photographed on a beach with his girlfriend, influencer Livvy Dunne.