Paul Skenes can only control his own performance. When it comes to the team he plays for – the Pittsburgh Pirates – the season may very well have been over before it even began. Skenes' manager was fired just over 40 games into the season, the organization itself is a press relations disaster and the owner refuses to invest enough money in the on-field product. After Skenes and the Pirates lost, 1-0, in a game the Pittsburgh ace threw eight innings of one-run ball, it sure sounded like he'd had enough.
“Obviously, not everything is within my power,” Skenes said. “Not everything is within any other individual in here's power. That's how we get going a little bit. Just control what we can control on an individual level. That's been my focus. That's always been my focus. That's probably been a little bit more difficult this last month or so, but there's nowhere else to go but to keep going. Just got to keep going."
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Paul Skenes sounds miserable after another wasted Pirates start
Reading between the lines, that is the face of the franchise searching for something – anything – to remain optimistic about. Much like Pirates fans, there isn't much to hold his hat on. Skenes went eight full innings for his first complete game performance, struck out nine Phillies and allowed just three hits. He received the loss, his fifth of the season, and Pittsburgh has now lost seven Skenes starts overall. How is anyone supposed to flip this into a positive?
“He pitched unbelievably well and deserved to win in that one,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “He's pitching for team wins. He's not as concerned about personal stuff, which speaks to who he is. He went out there today and pitched really well.”
If winning is of paramount importance for Skenes, then Pirates fans ought to consider his stance a warning. Skenes may be under contract through the 2030 season (and potentially beyond), but if the Pirates waste his window, he could easily amp up the pressure.
Pirates are ruining their chances at keeping Paul Skenes long term
If Pittsburgh wants any chance of inking Skenes to a long-term extension when the time comes, they cannot continue to lose on the field or in the court of public opinion. Eventually the narrative becomes the reality, and these days the former suggests it's only a matter of time before Skenes finds his way out of the Steel City. Just ask ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan, who's as well-connected as anyone.
"It's not just Paul Skenes who deserves better," Passan said last week. "It's Pittsburgh Pirates fans who deserve better, and they deserve a system that allows teams to keep great players. Now, in some cases, guys will stay with small market teams; we've seen that ... But what incentive does Paul Skenes have to extend with the Pirates when the Pirates haven't shown the willingness – from Bob Nutting all the way down – or the ability to bring in guys who are going to make this team better? The Pirates haven't shown that they are worthy of a Paul Skenes extension at this point."
While Passan's take is certainly layered with what-ifs and agent-speak, he does have a point. Until Skenes' value goes down dramatically, the Pirates have to convince him that Pittsburgh is where he should sign his extension, not the other way around. These days, they're failing miserably at doing so.