Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes was hard enough on opposing hitters as a rookie. Things might be about to get even worse for them now that Skenes has had an offseason to make some changes.
Skenes admitted to reporters that he is experimenting with two new pitches during spring training that he hopes to master and carry over into the regular season. The 22-year-old is working on a sinker and a cutter to go with his fastball, slider, and trademark “splinker.”
Skenes suggested that the new pitches are part of an effort to be more efficient and get ahead in counts.
“I’m definitely not going to try to strike out fewer people, but just with my stuff, presence and that kind of thing,” Skenes said, via Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I’m going to get my strikeouts. It’s just a matter of limiting the 1-0, 2-0 counts. That’s more of how I’m thinking about it.”
With a full season under his belt, Skenes will presumably be a bit less limited this season. The Pirates were very careful with his workload in 2024, sometimes to the frustration of fans. This year, there should be fewer limitations for the star pitcher, especially if the Pirates can remain relevant into the summer months.
That said, increased efficiency can only help Skenes in that regard. The fewer pitches he has to throw, the more innings the Pirates will feel comfortable giving him. That benefits both the team and the player.
In 133 innings last season, Skenes struck out 170 batters and posted a 1.96 ERA. The last thing opposing hitters want when facing him is to have to account for two more pitches than before.
