Skenes Struggles Threaten Pirates Playoff Hopes | Pittsburgh Pirates News

Paul Skenes’ slide from Cy Young frontrunner to struggling ace is threatening the Pirates’ playoff chances—and could shake up baseball’s youth appeal. After dominating early this season, his ERA has ballooned to 3.95, and he’s barely lasting into the 5th inning. In a recent loss to Detroit, he lasted just 4⅓ innings, surrendering three earned runs. MLB Network’s Dan Plesac attributes the dip to mechanical flaws: Skenes is rotating too quickly, flying open prematurely—which hurts his fastball command. The fix? A simple tweak: stay closed longer in his delivery. If he adjusts, Plesac says he’ll rebound fast. But beyond the standings, Skenes’ performance matters for baseball’s future—he’s a key draw for younger fans, much like Kelce and Swift are for football. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/87958891c0b18fb0