Paul Skenes pulled early again even after Pirates pushed back start

The Pirates gave Paul Skenes extra time to get things back on track.It didn’t work out that way, at least this time around.Skenes lasted just 4 1/3 innings and 81 pitches on Wednesday, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks with five strikeouts, though Pittsburgh did secure a 4-3 win over the Tigers at PNC Park.Skenes did throw 21 pitches at 97 mph or harder, which was better than the 96.5 mph high-water mark he hit in his last outing — a 65-pitch effort — against the Marlins on Aug.11.The right-hander was originally slated to pitch Sunday against the Red Sox, but was instead pushed back to face Detroit in the middle of the week.

Manager Don Kelly clarified that Skenes was not dealing with an injury but was intended to give him a “few more days to recover.”Skenes did last 15 more pitches this start, but the four free passes he issued matched a season high.“I think there’s been a lot of good,” Skenes said, according to MLB.com.“I think there’s some stuff, the walks.

It’s frustrating.Nobody wants to go out there and walk anybody.

Nobody’s trying to.… Felt good.

Just a little out of sync, I guess, kind of the whole outing, which probably makes sense a little bit with the longer rotation.But nice to be back.”Skenes, the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young winner in 2024 and 2025, respectively, has a 3.95 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across 139 innings this season.

That stands in contrast to his first two seasons, in which he recorded a 1.96 ERA and 0.95 WHIP.Infielder Brandon Lowe said sky-high expectations had people far too worried about Skenes’ results in 2026.If Skenes finishes the year, he should break the 200-strikeout threshold again after he notched 216 last season.“I think the world’s been spoiled on who Paul Skenes really is,” Lowe said, according to the Associated Press.

“He had probably the best starting stretch to a career ever.“And now he’s not the greatest pitcher on the face of the planet for a f...