The Pittsburgh Pirates can't even win on the days Paul Skenes starts.
And it's certainly not the fault of their generational superstar ace.
Skenes has a 2.05 ERA and 0.88 WHIP on the season. In 13 starts, he has 85 strikeouts in 83.1 innings.
OptaStats sums this up in quite the depressing way:
"There have been 90 occurrences all-time of an MLB pitcher having a sub-2.10 ERA & 80+ strikeouts through 13 starts of a season. Paul Skenes (4-6) in 2025 is the only one to have a losing record."
Yeah, that sounds pretty much impossible.
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The Pirates obviously don't want to trade Skenes, but they also are so far away from being able to put a talented team around him.
In the meantime, he pitches his heart out and often winds up with the loss anyway.
The rest of MLB will be keeping an eye on every little Skenes decision and quote to see when there may be movement toward a trade. Because if one happens, it'll be a chance every team in baseball wants to take.
He'd cost a historic prospect haul, but it'd also have strong potential of being worth it.
In the meantime, the Pirates will keep losing. They're in such dire straits that even a superhuman right arm can't save them.
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