Pirates' Paul Skenes Lands Strong Defense From Fellow Star Chris Sale

Throughout the course of the 2026 MLB season, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has not looked like himself. He has struggled with velocity and his numbers have been nowhere close to what fans have come to expect from him.

Skenes is just 24 years old. This season is his second full year playing at the Major League level.

While the overall production has been down, the Pirates are nowhere close to panic time. Skenes is simply having a rough season.

That is a sentiment echoed by fellow MLB star pitcher Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves. During an appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show," Sale delivered a strong defense of Skenes.

"Paul Skenes is really in his second full season as a starting pitcher," Sale said. "You’re talking about a grind of a season and these things happen. I’ve gotta be honest. I laugh at the people that are worried about Paul Skenes."

So far this season, Skenes has made 27 starts. He has compiled a 9-11 record to go along with a 3.79 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, a 4.3 K/BB ratio, and 145 innings pitched.

On the flip side, the superstar pitcher was lights out during the 2025 season. During that campaign, he racked up a 10-10 record in 32 starts. He also posted a 1.97 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, a 5.1 K/BB ratio, and 187.2 innings pitched.

Back in his first Major League season in 2024, Skenes made 23 starts. He went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, a 5.3 K/BB ratio, and 133 innings of work completed.

At the end of the day, the numbers are down and no one can argue against that. However, he is just 24 years old and young players can have rough seasons. If he has another year like 2026 next season, then there would be much more cause for concern.

Over the last couple of years, trade rumors have continued surrounding Skenes. There are many who believe that he will want to leave the Pirates for a big market at some point down the road.

Whether or not that ends up happening, Pittsburgh continues trying to build around him.

Hopefully, Skenes is able to get things right in 2027. If he is able to get back on track, the Pirates have a chance to be a potential contender in the National League.

Expect to continue hearing more about Skenes and his struggles. Sale isn't worried about the young star, but there are many who have already sounded the alarm.