Pirates are betting on a Paul Skenes solution they’ve already seen work

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ decision to push Paul Skenes’ next start from Sunday to Wednesday understandably raised eyebrows, especially after his velocity dipped and he was removed after only 65 pitches in his most recent outing.

But if the Pirates truly believe this is a fatigue issue rather than an injury, there is at least some evidence that a few extra days could make a meaningful difference. They've already seen it once this season.

Skenes had six days between his final start before the All-Star break and his first outing of the second half against the Cleveland Guardians. The result was one of his sharper performances of the year: seven innings of one-run baseball, allowing seven hits and two walks while striking out eight on 100 pitches.

That outing looks even more significant now because Pittsburgh appears to be trying to recreate similar circumstances. Skenes had been scheduled to face the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, but manager Don Kelly instead pushed him back to Wednesday against Detroit. Skenes said he arrived at PNC Park on Saturday expecting to make his start as planned and even threw a bullpen session before the decision was made.

Kelly reiterated that the decision wasn't injury related, but the Pirates are treating Skenes as though he could benefit from a reset. And considering how unusual this season has been for him, that isn't necessarily unreasonable.

Pirates may have already found the answer to Paul Skenes’ struggles

Skenes has spent much of the year looking like a pitcher fighting himself. His velocity has declined, his command has been less consistent and his pitch counts have climbed faster than they did during his dominant first two seasons. His most recent start in Miami was another example, even though he allowed only one run in five innings.

There's a major difference between a pitcher being hurt and a pitcher simply not recovering quite as efficiently between starts. If the Pirates believe they are dealing with the latter, then additional rest is one of the few adjustments they can make without completely shutting Skenes down.

More importantly, they have a tangible example showing that it might work. One strong outing after the All-Star break obviously doesn't prove that six days of rest is some magic formula for Skenes. Detroit could very well hit him hard Wednesday and send Pittsburgh right back to the drawing board.

But the Cleveland start at least gives the Pirates a reason to test the theory. Skenes looked more like himself after an extended break once before. With Pittsburgh searching for any way to get its ace back closer to that version, giving him a few extra days before his next start is hardly the worst place to start.

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