Pirates' Paul Skenes May Finally Be Getting Back on Track

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has had a rough go at things over the last few weeks, with people around the league questioning his game.

However, in five of his last six starts overall, Skenes has allowed three or fewer runs. Skenes put together another special outing on Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels, his childhood team.

The Pirates ace fired 5.1 scoreless innings against the Angels, allowing just four hits. This was a complete bounceback effort for Skenes after he was rocked for five runs over 4.2 innings against the San Francisco Giants in his last start.

Overall for the season, Skenes has a respectable 3.83 ERA over 29 starts. The right-hander has slowly started to turn the corner amid his struggles. 

But there was some concern just a few weeks ago. Skenes posted a 6.25 ERA in six starts in July, before following that up with a 3.10 ERA in August. 

It seems that his issues could very well be behind him, but he'll have to keep up the dominant effort over the final weeks of the regular season. But more importantly, the Pirates were able to pick up the win against the Angels, staying pace in the National League wild-card race.

Pittsburgh took the series from the Angels, winning two of three games. The Pirates took home a pair of 1-0 wins, while dropping the middle game 6-1.

The offense for the Pirates struggled against the Angels, but the pitching staff did its job. This team is looking to make a late-season run to the playoffs, even if the chances are slim.

Having Skenes look like his normal self could end up playing a massive role down the stretch if the Pirates are going to sneak in. So all the right-hander can do is build off his recent performances, giving the Pirates a chance.

Now, the Pirates will be heading out on a road trip to Chicago where they will play the White Sox and Cubs in a back-to-back series. These next six games could ultimately determine the year for the Pirates, making them crucial.

At this point in the year, every game matters, with one win having the ability to change everything. Pittsburgh feels good after the series with the Angels, but the job is far from over if they want the long playoff drought to end.

Skenes will likely get his next chance to continue his dominance on the mound when the team faces the Cubs this coming week.