PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It was only 10 months since he was drafted first overall by the Pirates in the MLB Amateur Draft, it’s seemed like much longer. Now Paul Skenes will start his major league career as he will be called up by the Pirates on Friday and start on Saturday.
It was rumored from the beginning, the potential of Skenes going right from winning a national championship at LSU to the majors without any minor league experience. His stuff was that good and the praise that high, but the Pirates preached patience.
A month after the draft, Skenes would appear in a rookie league game throwing one inning. Then an inning for Low A Bradenton, then two, allowing no runs, one hit, no walks and five strikeouts in four innings. He would move to AA Altoona and go two-thirds of an inning allowing three hits and four runs on a pair of walks and both outs were strikeouts. He would finish the season with two innings of shutout ball with the Curve striking out three.
Then all offseason, could Skenes be in the Pirates starting rotation at the beginning of the season? After only two starts in Grapefruit League play, that thought was squashed and the right-hander was sent to minor league camp.
Bailey Falter seemingly was the roster decision over Skenes, at least in fans minds, and he was booed when his name was announced on Opening Day. It was about the 21-year-old not being there and Skenes throwing three hitless innings in his AAA debut with five strikeouts.
He would continue with shutout appearance after shutout appearance. He would have back-to-back 3.1 inning outings with eight strikeouts each, but pulled each time for a pitch count and remaining in the minors. Skenes finally reached six innings on April 30th giving up four hits, no runs, a walk and seven strikeouts, but there was another box to check.
Pirates wanted to see him pitch on four days rest for the first time in his career. He did so on Sunday going 4.1 innings, three hits, two runs, his first home run allowed, two walks and four strikeouts.
Manager Derek Shelton was left to speak for the team on Monday and said that he’s excited to see him at some point and that he’s pitching well, but just needed to continue to check boxes.
All of that is behind Skenes now, after seven starts, 422 pitches, 27.1 innings with a 0.99 ERA, 45 strikeouts, eight walks and an 0.91 WHIP in AAA, Skenes is now a Pirate.
What seemed like a decade long journey was 12 games in the minors. His MLB career starts now.