On Thursday, Paul Skenes stepped into loanDepot Park in a gray suit and black tie featuring white skulls and crossbones, marking his first Opening Day start of his career. At 22, Skenes became the youngest Pirate to start on Opening Day and the youngest player in MLB since José Fernández in 2014.
Despite the team’s Opening Day loss, which came on a game-winning single to right field by Kyle Stowers, Skenes immediately showed why he’s a dominant force on the mound. Skenes started strong, firing fastballs past leadoff hitter Xavier Edwards before finishing the at-bat with a changeup that led to a strikeout. Against 2024 National League Rookie of the Year Skenes, Miami scored in the third inning but didn’t get another run off until the sixth.
Skenes continued to build momentum and pitched 5 1/3 innings, recording seven strikeouts and showcasing impressive control with each pitch. Since early in the season, Skenes was closely observed and did not exceed 94 pitches. Skenes was solid for most of the afternoon, however, he ended his performance with back-to-back walks. In total, he gave up two runs on three hits and issued two walks.
“Yeah, I mean, pretty damn good start,” Skenes said. “I got a little sloppy there at the end. Just gotta execute a little quicker in that sixth inning. Other than that, I was pretty happy with it.”
Paul Skenes better get used to the Pirates letting him down
After Skenes exited, the Marlins capitalized. They scored a run in the sixth on a passed ball and added two more in the eighth. Otto López singled on a line drive to center fielder Oneil Cruz, and Cruz's throw to home, instead of to the cutoff man, allowed López to move into scoring position. López managed to score on Dane Myers' hit, tying the game. In the ninth inning, Nick Fortes led off with a triple. After Edwards was intentionally walked, Stowers followed with a single to right, giving the Marlins the win.
Kyle Stowers delivers the first walk-off of the 2025 season! #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/zUuXcGdJN5
— MLB (@MLB) March 27, 2025
The Pirates' pitching is a key force, with Skenes leading the way and giving the team a strong foundation to compete this season. The concern is whether they have success in other crucial areas, including powerful bats, solid defense, and a reliable bullpen. Although it was just one game, the performance in that first game highlighted the concerns about the team, especially regarding their defense.
The Pirates' offense managed to reach base and stole six, but they struggled in key moments, going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and leaving nine men on. The Pirates' defense faced significant challenges. In the third inning, they missed a chance to turn a double play, leading to a run, and in the fourth, first baseman Endy Rodríguez made an error on a misplayed ball.
There is plenty to learn from the game, and just as Skenes makes adjustments and improves after a solid, but not so perfect, start, the same approach applies to the entire team. The two teams will take the field for the second game of the series on Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET.