The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to redefine rock bottom. At 17–33, they hold the third-worst record in baseball, and there are no answers in sight. After dropping seven straight within the first 40 games, the front office made its first major move — firing manager Derek Shelton.
But let’s be honest: when anyone hears 'Pittsburgh Pirates,' there’s only one name that comes to mind — Paul Skenes.
He’s not just Livvy Dunne’s boyfriend. He’s not just a viral phenom. He’s one of the best pitchers in baseball right now. Sporting a 2.44 ERA, 62 strikeouts, and seven quality starts, Skenes is already fulfilling the promise that made him the No. 1 overall pick. He’s on pace to become the next big thing on the mound.
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Paul Skenes needs more help from the Pirates lineup
But one issue continues to overshadow his breakout: the offense. And not just a mediocre offense — this is historically bad production.
In Wednesday night’s 3–1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, the Pirates failed to score more than four runs for the 26th straight game — tying the modern-era MLB record set by the 1931 Boston Braves and the 1969 California Angels.
It’s no wonder Skenes hasn’t completely lost his mind.
When your best hitter through 40+ games is Ke’Bryan Hayes, hitting .247, there’s a serious problem. The next most productive bat? 38-year-old Andrew McCutchen, batting .243 with just three home runs and 14 RBIs. Sure, Isiah Kiner-Falefa has a .283 average, but with only eight RBIs in limited action, it hasn’t translated to much help on the scoreboard.
Paul Skenes has been plagued by poor run support
In eight starts where Skenes has allowed two earned runs or fewer, the Pirates are just 3–5. He’s doing everything short of throwing shutouts to win — and even that might not be enough with the lineup behind him.
When Shelton was let go, Skenes didn’t mince words: “Someone has to be held accountable.”
But where does that accountability stop? The roster can’t be traded in bulk. Don Kelly, now the manager, doesn’t seem like a long-term fix either. And while the Pirates have shown zero interest in trading Skenes during the regular season, they may not need another team knocking — they might need to brace for Skenes himself voicing his frustration.
At the moment, the only direction Pittsburgh seems to be heading is further into irrelevance. There’s no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow — just another wasted season in a proud, aging franchise.
As for Skenes? He may eventually crack a smile again — but it’s hard to imagine it happening while wearing a Pirates uniform.