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Paul Skenes made an immediate name for himself with the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the former LSU star pitching to an 11-3 record and 1.96 ERA en route to National League Rookie of the Year honors. And he was 3rd in the NL Cy Young Award voting, to boot.
Skenes’ 2024 season was a high point in what was another down year for the Pirates, who haven’t appeared in the postseason since 2015 and last won a playoff series in 2013. But with Skenes leading a promising young core of players, there’s hope that things could be on the upswing for the downtrodden franchise soon.
The Pirates begin their season at the Miami Marlins on March 29, the first of a 3-game series. And on Saturday, the club announced that Skenes would be their Opening Day starter.
Here’s video posted by the Pirates of when Skenes was told the news by manager Derek Shelton:
It was a rather low-key reaction for Skenes, but knowing him, he’ll be sure to meet the moment.
The Pirates went 76-86 in 2024, finishing fifth in the NL Central. Their last winning season was in 2018, when they finished 82-79 and 4th in the division.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
