Pirating Starting Pitching Is Becoming Hard to Watch

Paul Skenes is in the midst of his first slump in his MLB career, allowing 13 earned runs over 20 innings for a 5.85 ERA and with three defeats in his past four starts.

Skenes didn't have a terrible outing vs. the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on June 3, but threw a career-high 109 pitches over 4.2 innings and gave up three runs.

Rookie Bubba Chandler has posted a 5.05 ERA over 12 starts and allowed four earned runs vs. the Astros on June 2, his third start in the past four giving up four earned runs.

Jared Jones had his issues in his first start back from internal brace surgery, giving up five earned runs over 4.1 innings vs. the Twins on May 29, but bounced back and threw five scoreless innings vs. the Astros on June 4 in the 5-1 win.

Braxton Ashcraft excelled against the Twins on May 31, giving up just two earned runs over six innings, but then allowed six earned runs over five innings vs. the Braves on June 6.

The Pirates have had good showings from all of these pitchers before, but it's been harder to find that consistency and domination they've previously put on.

Can the Pirates Rotation Turn it Around?

It's been a rough stretch for these Pirates starting pitchers, but there's reason for optimsim that they'll get back to their best form soon enough.

Skenes had his ERA down to a 1.98 before this rough stretch and the 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner should return to his best self.

Keller is a reliable veteran who had six quality starts in his first eight outings this season and should get back to his more consistent effectiveness.

There's still concern over Chandler, with his command and him being so young, plus with Jones coming off a serious surgery, but both players have the stuff to really dominate opposing hitting.

"I think expectations are so sky high for this group and rightfully so, because we have such a great starting staff and you know that throughout the course of a season, you're going to deal with some ups and downs, if you want to call this a down stretch," Kelly said on the Pirates rotation postgame. "Have full faith and confidence that we're going to put up some great starts as we go through the remainder of the season.

Ashraft came into this game with a 2.77 ERA and finished May with a 1.99 ERA over six starts, putting him in serious discussion for an All-Star game nod.

He's not making any drastic changes to what he's done so far, as he won't dwell on his result vs. the Rays, but he knows there's always opportunities to improve and is ready for the next time out.

“I think it’s just one of those days," Ashcraft said. "I don’t think one outing, one start, one inning is worthy of going back to the drawing board and reinventing yourself. I still have a lot of confidence in what I do and how well I do do it. 

"That’s what you get 30 [starts], that’s why we play 162 games. You’re going to have outings, you’re going to have games where you don’t have your best stuff and it’s just part of baseball. So yeah, just boils down to going back over these next five days and really locking in what I do well. Changing eye levels, moving to both sides of the plate, spinning the ball in the zone and being able to expand on all that too."