Postgame Paul Skenes video shows he's rapidly approaching a Pirates breaking point

Perhaps Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has another level of frustration or two to experience while watching his lineup let him down, but Sunday's postgame stare certainly looked like an embodiment of the internal breaking point he's certainly approaching.

The sole run Skenes allowed in a 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, opposite Mick Abel's MLB debut on the other side, came in the bottom of the fifth inning when the speedy Brandon Marsh narrowly beat out a double play ball. That was enough for Abel, as well as a Phillies team that lost their de facto closer to a performance-enhancing drug suspension earlier in the day.

As the game ended with the Pirates' 3-4-5 hitters, ostensibly the heart of the order (on a technicality), going down swinging one after another, Skenes' fate was sealed. As his teammates filed away into the clubhouse, he instead stood motionless, staring over the railing, almost as if he was pining for another few chances (and guaranteed letdowns).

Paul Skenes locked into blank stare after Pittsburgh Pirates fall 1-0 to Philadelphia Phillies

If this isn't what a breaking point looks like for Skenes - and for Pirates fans - we're not sure what is.

The team Ben Cherington and Bob Nutting constructed is now officially 3-7 in Skenes' starts this season. He has a 2.44 ERA, and has been every bit the ace the team envisioned he would be in Year 2, but carries a 3-5 record. Nutting certainly doesn't want to face the PR hit and decrease in gate revenue attached to resigning himself to a fate of dealing Skenes prematurely, but something has to give. Either the team decides to spend with more urgency - a modest expectation, given the complete lack of dedication to that process so far - or they'll have to start prepping for a long-term reset. Even if they do go "all in" now and in the years to come around Skenes ... will that be enough to earn his trust? Or will he be spending most afternoons staring, frozen, wondering how Mick Abel outmaneuvered him in his MLB debut when he blinked exactly once?

Frustrating doesn't even begin to describe it for Pirates fans. Now, imagine being Skenes.