Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale offered a blunt defense of Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes this week, brushing aside concerns about the young pitcher’s uneven 2026 season.
Sale appeared on the “Pat McAfee Show” and addressed questions about Skenes’ dip in performance.
“Paul Skenes is really in his second full season as a starting pitcher,” Sale said. “You’re talking about a grind of a season and these things happen. I’ve gotta be honest. I laugh at the people that are worried about Paul Skenes.”
Skenes, 24, has not matched the dominance he showed in his first two big-league campaigns. Through 27 starts this year he is 9-11 with a 3.79 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 145 innings pitched. His strikeout-to-walk ratio sits at 4.3.
Those numbers look modest next to what he produced a year earlier. In 2025 Skenes went 10-10 in 32 starts with a 1.97 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 187 2/3 innings. His rookie season in 2024 was similarly sparkling: 11-3, 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 133 innings across 23 starts.
Velocity has been a talking point among observers. Skenes has not consistently reached the mid-to-upper 90s that defined his earlier work. Results have followed that drop.
Pirates officials and many around the club have treated the year as a rough patch rather than a crisis. Skenes remains the centerpiece of Pittsburgh’s pitching plans as the organization tries to build a competitive roster around him.
Trade speculation has followed Skenes for two seasons. Some evaluators believe he eventually will seek a larger market. The Pirates have shown no public interest in moving him and continue to construct the team with him as the long-term ace.
Sale’s comments carry weight because of his own experience. The veteran left-hander has navigated injuries, mechanical issues and long seasons across more than a decade in the majors. He framed Skenes’ struggles as ordinary growing pains for a pitcher still early in his career.
One more ordinary season like 2026 would raise louder questions. For now, people inside the game note that 24-year-old starters often need time to adjust to the physical and mental demands of a full major-league schedule.
Pittsburgh sits outside the National League playoff picture as August winds down. A return to form from Skenes in 2027 would immediately change the outlook. The Pirates have young position-player talent and a developing rotation, but they need their best pitcher to look like his old self.
Fans and analysts will keep watching every start. Sale made clear he is not among those sounding alarms. He sees a talented pitcher working through the ordinary grind that hits even the best arms.
Skenes has time on his side. Whether he recaptures the form that made him one of baseball’s most exciting young stars will shape the Pirates’ next several seasons.
The conversation around him is unlikely to quiet. Sale’s remarks simply added a veteran voice of patience to a discussion that has grown louder as the numbers have slipped.
