Pirates' Lack of Run Support Has Paul Skenes Making Unwanted MLB History
Yahoo SportsThursday, July 17, 2025 at 12:00:00 PM
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes is stuck in a frustrating spot—he’s been brilliant on the mound, but his team’s offense keeps letting him down. Because of that, he’s ended up with a bizarre and unwanted MLB record: the most strikeouts in a pitcher’s first X starts without getting much (or any) run support. Basically, he’s dominating, but the Pirates’ bats are leaving him high and dry.
Editor’s Note: Skenes is one of the most exciting young pitchers in baseball right now, but this stat highlights how much wasted potential there is when a team can’t back up its ace. For Pirates fans, it’s another reminder of how their offense keeps holding the team back—even when they’ve got a future star on the mound. For the league, it’s a quirky but telling example of how lopsided performances can shape a player’s early career.
— Curated via WP Now’s
