PITTSBURGH — For Paul Skenes, the sensation of being at the center of attention is hardly new. However, Saturday carried a distinctive vibe. On this unusually warm spring day, the excitement that perpetually surrounds the 22-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates star collided head-on with the reality of his team’s recent struggles.
The day’s events began with fans lining up outside PNC Park hours before Skenes’ first pitch, eager to nab one of the 20,000 bobbleheads commemorating the National League Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately for the Pirates, the enthusiasm didn’t translate into success on the field. They ended the day with a 3-0 defeat, alongside the now-familiar chants imploring owner Bob Nutting to sell the franchise.
Interestingly, the team’s management navigated through the public relations minefield without any significant blunders, something that has been increasingly rare during the season’s rocky start. Responding to what Pirates president Travis Williams described as unprecedented demand, the club promised that all 37,113 attendees—whose lines sprawled to the city’s downtown—would receive a coveted bobblehead.
Soon after, some of these collectibles found their way to eBay, fetching comparatively lower prices than a unique Skenes rookie card, which had previously sold for over $1 million at auction. When asked about the resemblance, Skenes simply remarked on the limitations of bobblehead artistry, emphasizing that it’s not truly his thing.
The sellout crowd was a rare occurrence, just the second of the season, which Skenes found “cool,” although he wished the outcome was different. Inside the clubhouse, a somber atmosphere dominated, only broken by the hum of an air conditioning unit amidst the Pirates’ struggles.
Despite Skenes’ commendable performance on the mound—limiting the Guardians to two runs and six hits over seven efficient innings—the Pirates’ bats fell silent once more. His single error was a splitter that Kyle Manzardo crushed into the Allegheny. “I’m not going to lose any sleep over this outing,” he stated calmly, while focusing on the team’s need for timely scoring.
Pittsburgh’s inconsistency was laid bare, as they managed six hits and went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position, including a blunder in the sixth inning that ended in a double play. Such frustrations have been festering since the home opener, where a plane overhead campaigned for the team’s sale.
Although boos followed Tommy Pham’s double-play grounder, more pointed discontent was audible after Skenes allowed Manzardo’s home run, although this was fleeting. The fans’ appreciation for Skenes’ effort was evident when he exited the game to applause, despite another defeat adding to his personal tally.
The Pirates have stumbled to wins in just eight of their first 22 games, underscoring ongoing challenges with their offensive output and bullpen reliability, issues that haunted the team in the previous year. Despite calls for Pittsburgh to turn the corner, victories remain elusive, and it’s clear the expectation of contending by 2025 is slipping further from reality.
Even amid the spectacle surrounding Skenes, the young phenom acknowledges the team’s need for improvement. “We’re just not executing at the required level,” he commented, emphasizing that good team dynamics are not enough for championship aspirations. The goal is simple yet demanding—they must figure things out to turn promise into performance.