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Pirates’ Paul Skenes makes prediction about nasty new pitch

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Benjamin Adducchio | Last updated Mar 2, 2025 10:54 AM ET

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes is working on his game ahead of the 2025 season. Skenes is working on some new pitches, including a cutter and two-seam fastball. The Pirates hurler used some of that new repertoire in his Grapefruit League debut for the team against Baltimore.

Skenes helped the Pirates post a 5-2 Spring Training win over the Orioles. He struck out four and allowed four hits, while throwing three innings Saturday.

“You’ve just got to mix it in,” Skenes said after the game about the pitches, per the Associated Press. “I learned some stuff about it. It’s going to be good, I think.”

Skenes is considered the face of the Pirates franchise. He’s tasked with helping lead the club to a winning season after last year’s 76-86 campaign.

Pirates fans are expecting big things from Paul Skenes in 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches against the New York Yankees during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Skenes had a very promising rookie season in Major League Baseball in 2024. The Pirates hurler won the National League Rookie of the Year award, after also starting for the NL in the All-Star game.

Those awards are certainly impressive. It’s even more impressive considering Skenes was not on the Pirates Opening Day roster last season. The former LSU baseball star got called up midway through the campaign.

Skenes finished his rookie season with a 1.96 ERA. He went 11-3 as a starting pitcher for Pittsburgh, and posted 170 strikeouts. The Pirates were in contention for the NL playoffs well into August, but things then went off the rails.

Pirates fans are thirsting for success and hope Skenes is the answer. Pittsburgh has made just a handful of playoff appearances since 1992, when the Pirates last made the NLCS. The club also endured years and years of losing seasons, causing many fans to turn apathetic.

Skenes has spoken about his faith in this year’s club. He feels he passed his first test on Saturday.

“I thought it was pretty good,” Skenes said of his Grapefruit League outing, per MLB.com. “It’s kind of just what happens — body speeds up when you get in a game. That can either make your misses smaller or bigger, and I think there were both at times today. It’s not going to be perfect, [I’ve] just got to get out there in front of fans and get going.”

The Pirates pitcher thinks developing new pitches can help him work extra innings this year.

“I think it’ll help. I don’t know to what degree yet,” Skenes added. “I’ve just got to make my misses a little bit smaller and establish presence in the zone. It’s the [same approach], just different ways to do it.”

Spring Training games for the Pirates continue on Sunday. The club takes on the Detroit Tigers.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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