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Pirates ace Paul Skenes explains why he's not concerned about potential injuries
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has a wicked fastball, but should he take it down a notch?
In a story published Tuesday, Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci reported Skenes is one of 21 pitchers over the last four seasons to average 96.6 mph on their four-seam fastball in the first two innings of games. Thirteen of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery, and 19 suffered a notable injury.
Skenes insists he's not concerned about that.
"Nobody in the big leagues has my stuff," he told Verducci. "We're writing our own book. Because I've tried it the other way. It doesn't work. It's my game out there. There is no model for me."
In December 2024, a study by 200 experts found pitchers chasing maximum velocity has contributed to a rise in injuries (h/t MLB.com's David Adler). The study revealed that the number of pitchers on the injured list and the days they missed due to injury doubled from 2005-24.
Skenes said he didn't read the study and is more interested in what players who have avoided injuries for most of their careers are doing. He mentioned New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and San Francisco Giants star Justin Verlander as examples.
Verducci interviewed Skenes before Cole underwent Tommy John surgery in March. However, the six-time All-Star went 12 seasons before needing the operation. Verlander, a 20-year veteran, underwent his first Tommy John surgery in September 2020.
Skenes added his trainer, Eugene Bleecker, is teaching him how to throw as fast as possible without damaging his right arm.
"I'm trying to know more than anybody else," Skenes said. "There is an element of chance to it. There's also an element to do everything you can and know your body. And I think that a lot of people they just don't know what they don't know. I'm trying to be the first guy to do these things, right?"
Skenes, who turns 23 on May 29, is in his prime. Through his first six games this season, the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year is tied for 15th in baseball in strikeouts (39).
Skenes should still exercise caution. The data suggests he's at a high risk of suffering a significant injury.
More must-reads:
- Team-by-team NL MVPs: Budding superstar, six pitchers take spotlight
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- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
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Yankees makes pair of roster moves following Phillies loss
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Bengals finally reach agreement with first-rounder Shemar Stewart
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Steelers News: Omar Khan Details Why George Pickens Was Traded to the Cowboys Despite 'Developing' Him Since 2022
Following his breakout year in 2023, George Pickens was expected to be the WR1 of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the foreseeable future. He had already justified the second-round draft capital that the franchise had initially invested in him, but there were growing concerns about Pickens’ lack of maturity. Fast forward to the 2025 offseason, and even though he’s managed to produce a career total of 2,841 receiving yards throughout his first three seasons in the league, the Steelers were willing to let him go in exchange for nothing more than a 2026 third-round pick and a minuscule value swap with the Dallas Cowboys. While the team has since managed to replace Pickens’ service with that of D.K. Metcalf, fans and analysts alike are still questioning the decision. Thankfully, the self-titled host of The Rich Eisen made the most of his recent discussion with the team’s general manager, Omar Khan, by directly asking him “Why did George Pickens have to go despite developing him?” “I’ll just say, as we went through the offseason and the process, it just became evident that, for both sides, a fresh start was the best thing,” Khan explained. “It just made sense for both of us.” Suffice to say, Khan’s answer, while not very insightful, does suggest that Pickens’ relationships with various Pittsburgh personnel had become fractured beyond repair. Whether it was the Steelers or Pickens himself who was responsible for things not working out does not matter anymore, as Khan’s brief statement brings the entire saga to a somewhat definitive end. For one reason or another, it was no longer in either side’s best interest to continue working together, and that’s that. Much like the rest of his interview with Eisen, Khan and the rest of the Steelers’ organization is now moving forward. When Eisen noted that Pittsburgh’s trade involving Minkah Fitzpatrick and Jalen Ramsey couldn’t have “happened over night,” Khan explained that it took “weeks” to finally get the deal done with the Miami Dolphins. Being sure to cover all of the high notes from the Steelers’ chaotic offseason, the seven-time Sports Emmy award nominee also inquired about T.J. Watt’s latest benchmark contract with the team. While he was unwilling to go into the “specifics of the numbers,” Khan did proclaim that, “I think it just reflects how we feel about him. It was important for me, and the organization, for T.J. to be a one-helmet Hall of Famer. It would be a great thing and hopefully there’s many, many more years to go with T.J., but it was just important. His numbers speak for themselves… As great of a player as he is, he’s an even better person.” At 6-foot-4 and 229-pounds, the aforementioned Metcalf is certainly capable of filling the Pickens-sized hole in Pittsburgh’s receiving core. Likewise, the addition of Ramsey along with their retaining of Watt will help to ensure that the defense is as stout as ever. The Steelers are going all in on the 2025 regular season with the hopes of discovering their first playoff win since January 15th of 2017 and it’s too late for them to turn back now. They’ll have to hope that they’ve made the right moves and prioritized the right signings. Otherwise they’ll risk wasting the final regular season of one of the most storied careers in all of NFL history.
Raiders Pushed to Sign Ex-Cowboy, Pro Bowler as Christian Wilkins Replacement
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