Paul Skenes Has Not Walked A Batter Since Before Tax Day Going Into Start Tonight

GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

Former LSU ace Paul Skenes has not walked a batter through his last four starts for the Pittsburgh Pirates, going into his next start tonight against Colorado (5:40 p.m., MLB Network) in Pittsburgh.

Skenes (5-2, 2.36 ERA) has won three of his last five starts for the Pirates, who are in last again in the National League Central, but they are over .500 at 22-19.

The 6-foot-6 former first pick of the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft from national champion LSU, Skenes is coming off one of his best games as a pro last Wednesday when he two-hit Arizona over eight innings with seven strikeouts and zero walks for a 1-0 win. The 2025 Cy Young winner came within one inning of his first complete game in his third season in the Majors.

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“Velo ticked down a hair,” Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly told MLB.com after taking Skenes out following the eighth inning at 97 pitches, even though he struck out the side. “It just looked like his command wasn’t as good.”

Now, that’s splitting hairs. Gregory Soto got the save.

“When I came out I didn’t know what the pitch count was,” Skenes said. “A lot of confidence in Soto to finish it, so I wasn’t worrying about it too much.”

Skenes last walked a batter on April 13 in a 16-5 win over Washington when he threw six innings of one-hit, one-run ball with six strikeouts and one walk to improve to 3-1 on the season at the time.

“When you get ahead in the count, it’s a lot easier to pitch,” Skenes said after the 1-0 win over Arizona. “When you don’t, that’s when they can do damage. So just have to keep getting ahead.”

Michael Lorenzen (2-4) will start for Colorado tonight.

On April 24, Skenes won 6-0 at Milwaukee to go to 4-1 on the season as he allowed one hit and no walks in seven innings with seven strikeouts. He dropped to 4-2 on April 30 against St. Louis in a 10-5 loss as he allowed three earned runs on seven hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.

“I think he’s made for every moment on the mound,” Pittsburgh catcher Henry Davis said. “I mean the guy’s an absolute giant.”