Don Kelly Sends Paul Skenes Message as Concerns Mount

The Pirates pushed Skenes’ scheduled start back three days as part of their approach to managing the 24-year-old’s workload. Skenes initially wanted to maintain his regular five-day routine, but ultimately supported the decision from his manager.

Skenes then returned to the mound against the Detroit Tigers, working 4.1 innings. While the outing did not completely erase the recent questions surrounding his performance, it gave Pittsburgh another opportunity to monitor how he responds to the additional recovery time.

Kelly also indicated that some of what Skenes is experiencing is part of the normal adjustment process at the major league level. Opposing hitters have had more opportunities to adjust to the right-hander, creating another challenge for a pitcher who dominated during his early career.

The Pirates entered Friday fourth in the National League Central at 63-66, sitting 16.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. With the club out of the division race, protecting its most important young arm is particularly important.

For Skenes, the focus now remains on finishing the season healthy. The Pirates can afford to be cautious with their ace while continuing to monitor his workload.

Kelly’s message should provide some clarity for Pittsburgh fans. While the recent performance has created understandable concern, the manager’s comments indicate there is no known injury behind the decision to give Skenes additional rest.