Pirates Embarrassed in Paul Skenes' Opening Day Start

Skenes then loaded the bases after a single and another walk and looked like he'd get an out off a fly ball from designated hitter Brett Baty.

Cruz, to Skenes' chagrin, was too far in and couldn't get to it, resulting in a bases-clearing triple and the Mets taking a 4-2 lead.

He then got another fly ball off of second baseman Marcus Semien, but Cruz lost the ball in the sun, as he wasn't wearing sunglasses, resulting in another run to make it 5-2.

Pirates manager Don Kelly brought on right-handed relief pitcher Yohan Ramírez after Skenes hit Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez, who got the last out of the inning.

This was Skenes' first MLB start where he didn't get out of the first inning, the first he didn't get two strikeouts and just the second time he has allowed five earned runs in a start.

New Pirates Sluggers Go Deep in Defeat

While there wasn't much the Pirates did well in their Opening Day defeat, the additions they made this offseason showed exactly what they'll bring to the plate this season.

Second baseman Brandon Lowe hit two home runs and drove in three RBI in his debut, after the Pirates traded with the Tampa Bay Rays for him.

Lowe hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning on a curveball over the middle of the plate and then hit a four-seam fastball down and inside the zone in the top of the third inning, both off of All-Star right-handed starting pitcher Freddy Peralta.

He became one of four Pirates players and two starters to hit a home run in their first plate appearance on Opening Day, the seventh to hit a home run to homer twice on Opening Day and the third Pirates hitter to homer twice in their team debut.

Ryan O'Hearn, who the Pirates signed as a free agent, also showed off his power, hitting a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning .

O'Hearn hit a 91.9 mph four-seam fastball from Mets right-handed relief pitcher Tobias Myers, sending it over the left field wall for an opposite field homer.

The Pirates may have lost this game, but both O'Hearn and Lowe showed they will provide some important offense this season.

Pittsburgh would also get a run in the top of the fifth inning, as catcher Henry Davis hit an RBI-double down the third base line to score Gonzales, then Gonzales hit a double in the top of the ninth inning, scoring two runs, making the loss less bad than it could've been.

Pirates Bullpen Puts Up Poor Performance

The Pirates had a strong bullpen in 2025, but they didn't get what they needed from their relievers in this defeat.

Ramírez was the exception, throwing 2.1 scoreless innings in relief of Skenes with just one hit and one walk allowed, while posting three strikeouts.

Left-handed pitcher Mason Montgomery showed his velocity with two strikeouts, but also walked three batters, giving up a run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Montgomery then walked a batter with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning and right-handed pitcher Isaac Mattson came in relief.

Mattson, who put up a strong season in 2025, threw 36 pitches in the inning, which included a 13-pitch strikeout of Bichette, but also included two walks and two singles for three runs to score, two going on his final line.

Pirates right-handed pitcher Justin Lawrence gave up just one earned run over 17.2 innings pitched in 2025 for a 0.51 ERA.

He gave up back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to right fielder Carson Benge on a sweeper over the middle of the plate and then a fastball up in the zone to Alvarez, both of which were big time hits over the left field and right field wall, respectively.

The Pirates would get scoreless innings from both left-handed pitcher Gregory Soto, who they signed as a free agent, and Dennis Santana to close out the game.