MLB Insider Urges Pirates to Support Paul Skenes

Pittsburgh struggles massively at the plate, as they rank amongst the worst teams in baseball in most offensive metrics.

This includes both the lowest slugging percentage (.349) and OPS (.653), the third lowest batting average (.230) and the sixth lowest on-base percentage (.304). They also have the least runs scored (570), home runs (113) and RBIs (549), the third least hits (1,214) and the seventh most strikeouts (1,397).

The Pirates have a 69-89 record, heading towards their fifth season in the past six years at the bottom of the National League Central and the fourth worst record in baseball.

Jeff Passan of ESPN went on the Pat McAfee show and praised Skenes for having an incredible campaign, but also mentioned that the Pirates need to support their star going forward.

Passan said that despite the poor season from the Pirates, they aren't too far away from a spot in the postseason, but that owner Bob Nutting needs to spend money this offseason and get this team some offense for 2026.

"Paul Skenes is going to win the National League Cy Young Award unanimously this year and deservedly so in his first full season as a major league baseball player and for all of the hype.

"That's what I love about Paul Skenes. He came up with so much hype and he has not just lived up to it, he's exceeded it. He has been better, I think, than people thought he was going to be and you surround him with the arms that the Pittsburgh Pirates have right now, whether it's Bubba Chandler, Braxton Ashcraft, Jared Jones coming back, Mitch Keller, Hunter Barco making his MLB debut.

"The Pittsburgh Pirates are three bats away from being a playoff team right now and the only way that they're going to go out and get those bats, is if their owner goes out and spends from freaking money.

"And if not now, then when Pat? At what point do you see all of this talent that you have and say to yourself, 'We need to take this opportunity and give the fans of Pittsburgh what they deserve. The losing, we've had enough of it.'

"And you've seen opportunities taken that have been taken by the Kansas City Royals and by other small-market. lower-revenue teams to go and change their lineup in the offseason.

"The Pirates can do this. The question for Bob Nutting, 'Will you?'"