Pirates Announce Paul Skenes Potential Final Star

This marks his second career start at Great American Ball Park, first doing so on Sept. 22, 2024, his second-to-last start of his rookie season. Skenes dominated against the Reds in that start, allowing just two hits and hitting a batter over five innings, while posting nine strikeouts over 73 pitches in the 2-0 win.

Skenes made two other starts vs. the Reds as a rookie in 2024, both at PNC Park. He first faced them on June 17, when he gave up six hits, a walk and an earned run over six innings, while striking out seven batters in the 4-1 win. He then gave up just two hits and a walk over six scoreless innings, adding nine strikeouts in a 7-0 win on Aug. 22.

He has given up just one earned run over 23 innings against the Reds in his career, posting a 0.39 ERA.

Skenes last started vs. the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on Sept. 16, where he gave up a solo home run, three earned runs, a season-high seven hits and three walks over 3.2 innings, posting six strikeouts over 92 pitches in the 4-1 defeat.

That served as the shortest outing of his season and also the first time he ever gave up multiple runs in the first inning of a start.

Skenes, despite a 10-10 record over 31 starts, has had an excellent season, with a 2.03 ERA over 181.2 innings pitched, 209 strikeouts to 42 walks, a 0.96 WHIP and a .199 opposing batting average. He also has a 7.3 WAR, a 10.35 K/9, a 2.08 BB/9 and a 4.98 K/BB.

He ranks amongst the best pitchers in baseball, with the lowest ERA, the fourth most strikeouts, the fourth lowest WHIP, the seventh lowest opposing batting average and the 14th most innings pitched. He also has the highest WAR of any MLB pitcher, the fifth best K/BB, the eighth best K/9 and the 10th best BB/9.

This will likely mark his final start in 2025, unless they bring him on for a short outing in their final series against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, Sept. 26-28.

Right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo starts in the series opener on Sept. 23, taking on Reds right-handed pitcher Brady Singer. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m.

This marks his first start vs. Cincinnati since Aug. 11, 2023 at PNC Park, where he gave up six earned runs over five innings in a 9-2 defeat. He also started once prior at Great American Ball Park on Sept. 13, 2022, throwing five scoreless innings in a 6-1 win.

Oviedo last started vs. the Cubs in the series finale on Sept. 17, where he gave up season-high four earned runs in the first inning, including back-to-back home runs. He pitched better throughout his start, only walking two battesrs and giving up a hit over five innings and a season-high 99 pitches.

He has made seven starts and six consecutive starts since coming back from the minors, after a second stint following his long return from both rehab from Tommy John surgery, which kept him out of 2024 entirely, and a lat injury he sustained in 2023.

Oviedo has a 2-0 record over those seven starts, a 3.52 ERA over 30.2 innings pitched, 32 strikeouts to 17 walks, a .189 opposing batting average and a 1.24 WHIP.

Rookie right-handed pitcher Braxton Ashcraft makes his final start of 2025 for the Pirates in the series finale on Sept. 25, facing off against Reds left-handed pitcher Nick Lodolo. First pitch is set for 12:40 p.m.

Ashcraft started against the Reds on Aug. 9 at PNC Park, giving up an earned run over 3.1 innings, while posting five strikeouts over 56 pitches.

He just had probably his best outing of his young career out of the bullpen vs. the Athletics at PNC Park on Sept. 20. He threw three scoreless innings, not allowing a baserunner and tied his career-high of six strikeouts over 33 pitches in the 2-0 win.

Ashcraft last started vs. the Cubs in the series opener on Sept. 15, tying his season-high of three earned runs allowed over four innings and posting four strikeouts over 70 pitches in the 4-0 defeat.

He has started seven of 25 games this season for the Pirates, with a 4-3 record, a 2.62 ERA over 65.1 innings pitched, a .225 opposing batting average and a 1.19 WHIP.