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Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is one of the most dependable players in MLB. Despite taking the loss on Saturday against Ben Lively and the Cleveland Guardians, he received overwhelming support on his bobblehead day.
The demand for the collectible was so high that the team decided that every fan would get one, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. Skenes' promotional day packed PNC Park, which is usually full anyways on days when he starts there. The All-Star pitcher is a big-time talent; even a former Cy Young winner heaved praise on Skenes.
A 3-0 loss didn't take anything away from what was another dominant performance for the 22-year-old pitcher. He gave Pirates manager Derek Shelton seven innings of two-run baseball against an above-average Guardians offense. Unfortunately for him, Lively and the Cleveland pitching staff were even better, not allowing a single run for the whole game.
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Regardless of his record to start the year, Skenes' performance last season put him at the top of the list when it comes to today's elite arms. The next step for him, as it is for most young pitchers, is to find a way to influence his team to wins in the clubhouse, not just the pitcher's mound.
Skenes told reporters earlier in the year that the Pirates' struggles are on the players. He vowed that the team would improve and find their way into the postseason conversation. As of right now, Pittsburgh is a long ways away from that goal, sitting at the bottom of the NL Central with an 8-14 record.
Skenes is a big part of the Pittsburgh Pirates future as their rebuild continues, but he has already won the hearts of the fanbase. His charisma and willingness to step up as a leader has his teammates rallying behind him. All they need to do now is find some consistency and begin rattling off wins to claw their way back up the standings.
