Pirates Announce Next Paul Skenes Start

Pirates manager Don Kelly said they're trying to manage Skenes' workload towards the end of the season, as Skenes hadn't thrown less than 90 pitches in an outing since late July prior to his last start.

Skenes also posted his 200th strikeout during that start, becoming the sixth Pirates pitcher in the live-ball era (since 1920) to reach that feat, with fellow teammate and right-handed starting pitcher Mitch Keller the last to do so in 2023 with 210 strikeouts.

He has excelled with the Pirates in 2025 with a 10-9 record in 30 starts, a 1.92 ERA, over 178.0 innings pitched, 203 strikeouts to 39 walks a .193 opposing batting average and a 0.93 WHIP. He also has a 10.26 K/9, a 1.97 BB/9 and a 5.21 K/BB.

Skenes ranks amongst the best pitchers in baseball, with the lowest ERA, third lowest WHIP, tied for the fourth lowest opposing batting average, the fourth most strikeouts and the eighth most innings pitched, plus the fourth best K/BB, seventh best BB/9 and the eighth best K/9.

Rookie right-handed pitcher Braxton Ashcraft starts in the series opener for the Pirates on Sept. 15, facing off against Cubs right-handed starting pitcher Jameson Taillon, the former second overall pick by the Pirates in the 2010 MLB Draft. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m.

Ashcraft came out of the bullpen in his last outing in the series opener vs. the Orioles on Sept. 9, giving up two hits, including a solo home run over three innings of relief with four strikeouts and 63 pitches thrown.

Kelly is also managing Ashcraft's innings, as he's had serious surgeries done in the past, like Tommy John in 2021, which kept him out the entirety of the 2022 season.

Ashcraft is already up to 106.2 innings pitched, with 58.1 innings with the Pirates since coming up on May 25 and 48.1 innings pitched at Triple-A Indianapolis prior, much higher than his previous season-high of 73.0 in 2023.

He came out of the bullpen for 16 of his first 17 appearances with the Pirates, before starting five straight games from Aug. 9-Sept. 3, with his last start coming in a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on Sept. 3.

Ashcraft has faced the Cubs twice, last doing so in a start in the series opener at Wrigley Field on Aug. 15, where he gave up one earned run over five innings and posted four strikeouts over 61 pitches.

His first outing vs. the Cubs came on June 14, where he posted two scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts over 18 pitches.

Ashcraft has a 4-2 record over 23 outings and six starts in 2025, with a 2.47 ERA, 56 strikeouts to 21 walks, a .225 opposing batting average and a 1.20 WHIP.

Right-handed starting pitcher Johan Oviedo will take the mound for the Pirates in the series finale on Sept. 17, battling Cubs left-handed starting pitcher Matthew Boyd. First pitch is set for 12:35 p.m.

Oviedo last started in the series finale vs. the Orioles on Sept. 11, giving up five hits, three walks and two earned runs in five innings, while posting five strikeouts over a season-high 85 pitches.

He has started five straight games after his last stint at Indianapolis, which came following his season debut vs. the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park on Aug. 4.

Oviedo underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2024 season, then dealt with a lat injury at the beginning of this season, keeping him out for longer, while he rehabbed and worked his way back.

He last faced the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sept. 21, 2023, where he threw six scoreless innings and posted five strikeouts over 93 pitches in the 8-6 win.

Oviedo has a 2-0 record over six starts in 2025, a 2.81 ERA over 25.2 innings pitched, 29 strikeouts to 14 walks, a .176 opposing batting average and a 1.17 WHIP.