Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, once projected as an untouchable talent, has experienced a significant downturn in his 2026 season. Despite early career accolades, including National League Rookie of the Year in 2024 and a Cy Young award in 2025, Skenes has struggled to maintain his dominant form, with extended early pull-outs from starts and a dip in his fastball velocity.
This season, Skenes' earned run average has risen to 3.96, more than double his combined 1.96 ERA in his first two years. The Pirates, meanwhile, are in last place in the NL Central. Amidst these struggles, Skenes has also faced public scrutiny over his conditioning, notably after recent beach photos with his girlfriend, influencer Livvy Dunne.
However, a source close to Skenes, speaking anonymously, has pushed back against theories of injury or his relationship being the primary cause of his struggles. "Paul's recent troubles have been happening for several reasons, but if injury is one then both Paul and the team are very tight lipped and keeping any of that information a secret," the insider stated. "But most are thinking he isn't hurt because if he was, either himself or the Pirates would have shut him down to protect him for the future."
The source suggested that the state of the Pirates team is a significant factor. "Another reason for Paul's downturn is that his team is hot garbage," the source said. "They are last place, the team doesn't protect him with any offense or good defense, so he is being wasted. When he does well, his team's play screws him and when he has a bad outing, it is looked at as even worse, because his team provides no help to bail him out. That might be the main culprit for all his problems."
MLB veteran Curt Schilling has attributed Skenes' difficulties to mechanical issues, possibly stemming from his early-season workload with the World Baseball Classic. The insider concurred, noting a lapse in Skenes' "control, delivery and attention to detail." The source added that starting the season early with the World Baseball Classic altered Skenes' typical preparation, compounded by external chatter. "He just needs to figure out how to reset and not worry about things and just get back to the fundamentals," the insider explained.
Regarding the scrutiny over his relationship with Dunne, the source was adamant that it is not a contributing factor. "He puts the same attention into his game as he always has, and his relationship is not to blame," the source said. "Paul wants to ball out in front of Livvy, he wants to appear as the man in front of her at all times, but especially on the baseball field. So, she isn't to blame and she isn't a distraction to him, because he always wants to look good for her."
Skenes remains under club control through 2029, with free agency in 2030. While speculation about his future with teams like the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers is rife, the immediate focus for Skenes is on regaining his previous form. "He has to make adjustments. It might take a few more starts to turn it around, but he is adamant to do what he needs to do and find the root of the problem so people stop talking about it," the source concluded. Skenes' next opportunity to pitch comes on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox.
