Paul Skenes starts the Pittsburgh Pirates' season opener, aiming to spark a playoff surge after a revamped roster and a long drought.
Paul Skenes will start for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 1 of the 2026 regular season on Thursday when they face the Mets at Citi Field in New York.
What the big right-hander really desires is to start Game 1 of a postseason this year. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner believes the Pirates are ready to make a postseason push after not reaching the postseason since 2015.
Pittsburgh overhauled its roster after going 71-91 last season and finishing in last place in the NL Central. Skenes likes what he sees from a team that most notably added second baseman Brandon Lowe, right fielder Ryan O’Hearn, and designated hitter Marcell Ozuna in the offseason to an offense that was last in the major leagues in runs scored last season.
“It’s certainly different now, and I’m really excited to see where it’s going to be in two months,” Skenes told reporters on Wednesday after the Pirates held a workout at Citi Field.
Two months would bring the calendar to almost the end of May. With 29 losing seasons in the last 33 years, it seems Pittsburgh is usually at least theoretically eliminated from playoff contention by then.
However, Skenes believes there is reason for optimism as he gets set to begin his third major league season and make his second straight opening-day start.
“We want to win the division,” Skenes said. “We want to make the playoffs. That’s it. How do we do that? Who knows? I don’t want to put a number of (wins) out there because that’s just putting a ceiling on us. We’ve got to go out there and play well every day.”
Skenes (10-10, 1.97 last season) will try to get the Pirates off to a good start in their postseason quest when he faces Freddy Peralta (17-6, 2.70) in a game that will be televised nationally by NBC. The Mets acquired Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers in an offseason trade after he led the NL in wins last year.
Pittsburgh saw Peralta often when he played for the NL Central rival Brewers. He has a 4-2 record against the Pirates with a 3.36 ERA in 25 career games, including 16 starts. Skenes is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts against the Mets.
Peralta realizes that facing Skenes in his Mets’ debut is a tough draw.
“I know that he’s great," Peralta said. "I just see it that I’m competing against him, you know what I’m saying? Because I know it’s going to be probably a tough day for the offense. And it makes me better when I know that I have that kind of pitcher on the mound.”
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