Skenes is entering his third season with the Pirates and is currently pitching in his first World Baseball Classic.
Ask any Pittsburgh Pirates fan about the team this season and there’s likely a different tone to the conversation then years before.
The Pirates finished 2025 as a 71-91 club, depressing by five wins from the previous two seasons.
Don Kelly was promoted to manager to replace Derek Shelton, but the front office remained the same.
It set in motion the most crucial offseason of Ben Cherington’s Pirates career entering his seventh season as general manager.
Cherington was the most active he’s ever been and provided the Pirates with their most exciting offseason in over a decade.
The Pirates added two All-Star position players and signed a designated hitter who finished 4th in NL MVP voting in 2024.
Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, and Marcell Ozuna have added 69 home runs from a year ago to a Pirates lineup that only hit 117.
The Bucs retained Mitch Keller, instead of trading him for a bat, and acquired relievers Mason Montgomery and Gregory Soto to their bullpen.
No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin is waiting in the wings and leads the team with three home runs… as a 19-year-old shortstop who hasn’t played more than 21 games above High-A.
It feels different. It feels refreshing. It feels like the Pirates have a realistic chance to make the postseason.
The atmosphere at spring training in Bradenton is also different, at least for Paul Skenes.
Coming off winning NL Rookie of the Year and NL Cy Young the last two years, Skenes is excited for what the Pirates can do this year.
“It’s a different vibe in camp right now,” Skenes said on The Pat McAfee Show at USA Baseball camp on Monday.
Skenes is pleased by what the Bucs did in the offseason. He’s joined Team USA in preparation for the World Baseball Classic this week, but misses the preparation and camaraderie taking place for the Pirates.
“As excited as I am to be here right now, I’m a little upset that I’m not in camp,” Skenes said. “Kinda missing out.”
He threw three innings for Team USA in its exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.
Skenes allowed one run on one hit in the first inning and struck out four total batters. Skenes retired the final nine batters he faced in his second spring outing.
He is scheduled to face Mexico in pool play and pitch in the semifinals, if Team USA advances.
It’s a chance for the former Air Force pitcher and catcher to represent his country and wear the red, white, and blue.
The Pirates have the best record of any team in spring training, tied with the Yankees at 10-2. Team USA begins the WBC on Friday night at 8 p.m. against Team Brazil.
This will mark the first WBC since 2023, with Paul Skenes representing the Pirates on the national stage after starting the last two All-Star Games. Cinema unfolding for the USA.
Category: General Sports
