Paul Skenes: Is His Struggles a Sign of Bigger Issues?

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From Pushing The Odds with Matt Perrault

Paul Skenes' Struggles in Major League Baseball

Paul Skenes, the celebrated pitcher formerly from LSU, entered Major League Baseball heralded as a generational talent, only to face significant challenges in his performance. Skenes, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates, has not lived up to expectations this season, with the team losing 14 games while he was the starting pitcher. Despite being seen everywhere with his girlfriend, Libby Dunn—a famous influencer and LSU gymnast,—their social prominence has not translated into on-field success.

Particularly concerning are Skenes’ statistics, which reveal a dramatic decline in his performance. His Earned Run Average (ERA) for July was recorded at 6.25, a sharp increase from the sub-2 ERAs he used to post. Additionally, his velocity has noticeably decreased; he used to regularly throw pitches at 98 mph or higher, logging 1,152 such pitches in his first two seasons. This year, however, only 95 of his pitches have hit those speeds, averaging just four such throws per start, versus 28 in previous years.

This significant reduction has raised questions about Skenes' health and whether issues such as potential Tommy John surgery might be looming, given the number of innings and pitches he has thrown throughout his career. As the Pirates face ongoing struggles and Skenes tries to regain his form, the spotlight on his health and performance will undoubtedly continue, particularly as he is expected to scale back to the high-velocity performances that have defined his early career.