Paul Skenes looks as nasty as ever in Pirates' Opening Day game vs. Marlins

Reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes took the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates in their Opening Day matchup against the Miami Marlins, and he picked up right where he left off.

The first batter he faced in 2025 was Marlins' leadoff hitter Xavier Edwards. The two engaged in an eight-pitch battle that saw Edwards fall behind 0-2 and foul off three pitches before taking two balls to even the count at 2-2.

Then, Skenes annihilated Edwards with a 90 mph changeup to record his first of what's likely to be many strikeouts this season.

Skenes' stuff looked as dominant as ever against the Marlins, with his fastball routinely hitting 99 mph and topping out at 99.9 mph. His lone earned run came on a force out at second base that allowed Derek Hill to score in the bottom of the third.

Skenes recorded six strikeouts through four innings, reminding us all why he is the early favorite to compete for the NL Cy Young Award this year, then finished with a flourish with a seventh K. Last season, Skenes went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP and 170 strikeouts against 32 walks in 133 innings, and he's gotten off to a similarly electric start in 2025.

Pirates' bats come alive late to give Paul Skenes some much-needed run support

Skenes' six strikeouts through the first five innings were impressive, yet unsurprising given what we've come to expect from him. Similarly unsurprising, however? Pirates batters had racked up even more strikeouts – seven, to be exact – during that same span.

Things were looking bleak for the Pirates, who failed to make any noteworthy additions on offense this offseason, against former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara until their bats finally showed some life in the fifth inning. Ke'Bryan Hayes recorded Pittsburgh's first base hit of the game, a two-out single, and proceeded to steal second while Isiah Kiner-Falefa was at the plate. Kiner-Falefa walked, as did Tommy Pham, to load the bases for Bryan Reynolds.

Reynolds delivered with a single to center field that scored Hayes and Kiner-Falefa to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead. Nick Gonzales mashed a two-run homer to left in the next inning, calming some early fears about the Pirates' ability to provide Skenes with adequate run support.

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