The Pittsburgh Pirates haven't exactly been very good in 2025; heading into their Thursday night clash against the Cincinnati Reds, the Pirates were boasting a meager 49-66 record, sitting at dead last in the NL Central. But every five days, the Pirates have as good a chance to win a ballgame as any team in MLB, with one of the best pitchers in the league in Paul Skenes making his scheduled trot to the mound.
And just as a player of Skenes always delivers, he pitched the Pirates into a 7-0 victory on Thursday — throwing a six-inning gem where he struck out eight. While his six-hits allowed or fewer streak came to an end, he extended another streak of his that snapped a decade-long drought in a particular area which was last accomplished by a division rival.
According to OptaSTATS on X (formerly Twitter), the Pirates ace became the first player in 10 years to record at least five scoreless innings, five strikeouts and one or fewer walks in four straight home games of a season.
Skenes is simply pitching on a different level right now. The Pirates ace is the frontrunner for the NL Cy Young for a reason; on the year, he is now boasting a 1.94 ERA in 24 starts, striking out 162 and walking just 34 in 144.0 innings of work.
His blend of incredible stuff, pinpoint command, and durability is making him a force to be reckoned with, and even on nights where he wasn't the most locked in (he did allow seven hits — a rarity for Skenes), he still managed to shut down a Reds lineup that features its fair share of quality talents.
While starting Skenes on the mound isn't a guaranteed win for the Pirates considering how badly their offense is struggling, him starting is as close to a victory as it can get for Pittsburgh.
Pirates have to build winning team around Paul Skenes
In baseball, an individual doesn't have much control over a team's chances of winning as they do in a sport such as basketball. For Skenes, he only shows up for the Pirates every five days — such is the life of a starting pitcher.
However, it's imperative that the Pirates build a winning team around Skenes. Having a player as talented as he is does not happen too often, especially for the Pirates franchise. Thus, making the most of his stint with the team is a must.
