Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes was removed from Tuesday's game against the Miami Marlins after just 65 pitches, marking another start where the ace did not go deep into the game. The Pirates lost the contest 2-0.
Skenes pitched five innings, yielding two runs on four hits while striking out four. He allowed a solo home run in the third inning and an RBI single in the fifth. Notably, his fastball velocity did not exceed 96.5 mph during the outing, a significant decrease from his typical performance. Last season, Skenes recorded 68 fastballs at 99 mph or higher, but his fastball averaged 96.9 mph this season, down from 98.2 mph in his rookie year.
This start continues a trend for Skenes, who has now had three starts this season with 65 or fewer pitches, a mark he reached only twice in his first two major league seasons. Each of his starts in August has lasted only five innings.
Pirates manager Don Kelly stated after the game that Skenes' removal was not due to injury. "Anybody this time of year is … not injured, but guys in August aren’t 100 percent," Kelly said, per MLB.com. "It wasn’t injury-related that he came out. Just thought it gave us the best chance to win there."
Kelly also suggested that opposing hitters are adjusting to Skenes' pitching style. "The league is adjusting back," Kelly noted. "Paul’s gonna have to fight to make the adjustment back to the league and find a way to adjust himself."
Despite improvements in his runs allowed numbers in August compared to July, Skenes' overall season statistics—a 3.88 ERA and 1.12 WHIP—are considered by some to be below the expectations set by his prior performance, including his status as the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick and a three-time National League All-Star.
Skenes acknowledged the manager's decision, stating, "If I were the manager I’d probably do it too. He walked me through everything and it all made sense. Wish I could have gone more but, you know, it kind of is what it is."