If the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to get back into contention, Cy Young winner Paul Skenes will have a lot to do with it. As the Pirates open spring training, everyone had to see what Skenes has to offer.
The right-hander threw a bullpen session on Monday without any live hitters. And still, Pittsburgh fans came in droves to watch Skenes pitch, via Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Paul Skenes throwing a bullpen on the mound. Not facing hitters, obviously.
Overheard: When’s the last time you’ve seen this many people watching a bullpen?
Answer: I haven’t. pic.twitter.com/Sg75XCpXjI
— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) February 16, 2026
Skenes entered MLB with a bang, winning Rookie of the Year in 2024. He pitched to a 1.96 ERA and a 170/32 K/BB ratio. The righty then followed it up with a Cy Young performance, posting a league-leading 1.97 ERA and a 216/42 K/BB ratio. Overall, Skenes holds a 1.96 ERA and a 386/74 K/BB ratio over his two years with the Pirates.
Pittsburgh has spent their offseason trying to bolster their offense. They signed sluggers Ryan O'Hearn and Marcel Ozuna and traded for infielder Brandon Lowe. The Pirates are hoping their offensive additions give them a better shot to compete in the NL Central.
When fully healthy though, Pittsburgh's pitching staff will be considered their strength. Skenes would be the top pitcher on any team in the league except maybe the Detroit Tigers depending on your preference. Veteran Mitch Keller has made strides while Bubba Chandler and Braxton Ashcraft are former top prospects who recently got promoted. As is Jared Jones, who will command a large role in the rotation upon injury. Three of Pittsburgh's top five prospects are pitchers, via MLB Pipeline.
But for all their talent on the mound, all eyes will shift to Skenes when it's his turn to pitch. That became even more evident with a massive crowd watching his bullpen session.
