Last season, Paul Skenes pitched with the pressure of perfection. Every time the Pittsburgh Pirates' ace took the mound in 2025, he knew a single mistake could cost his team the game, no matter how dominant his stuff was. That immense pressure was reflected in his record: a 10-10 mark that starkly contrasted with his Cy Young-winning 1.97 ERA. The reason? A historically anemic offense that consistently failed to provide run support.
Fast forward to 2026, and the narrative has completely flipped. The Pirates' front office heeded Skenes's call for a competitive lineup, making aggressive offseason moves that have transformed the batting order. The proof was on full display during Monday night's 16-5 rout of the Washington Nationals.
The game reached a surreal point in a marathon 10-run sixth inning where Skenes, having already pitched six brilliant innings, found himself almost hoping his teammates would make an out—just so he could get back to work. No such luck. The offensive explosion was so prolonged that Skenes' night was effectively ended by his own team's success, a luxury he rarely enjoyed a year ago.
"It just took forever, which is what you want," Skenes said with a smile after the game. "I feel like that inning everybody was just pulling the rope and passing it off to the next guy. It was cool to watch."
The contrast is staggering. In 2025, the Pirates were dead last in runs, homers, and RBIs, leaving Skenes and the pitching staff with zero margin for error. Now, bolstered by key additions, they rank in the top ten across the board. The new-look offense was epitomized by Brandon Lowe, acquired from Tampa Bay, who made franchise history with back-to-back five-RBI games. His three-run homer in that epic sixth inning capped a rally not seen at PNC Park in nearly two decades.
With Lowe, Ryan O'Hearn, and a deeper supporting cast around star Bryan Reynolds, the Pirates are no longer asking their ace to be perfect. They're giving him the freedom to dominate, backed by an offense that can turn a close game into a blowout in a single, relentless inning. For Skenes and Pirates fans, it's a welcome and dramatic change of pace.