Pirates' Oneil Cruz Will Move to Outfield; Isiah Kiner-Falefa to Play Shortstop
Aug 26, 2024
ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 21: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates warms up during batting practice prior to the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Oneil Cruz will be jogging to a different position for the time being.
Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton announced on Monday, via Alex Stumpf of MLB.com, that Cruz would shift from shortstop to center field and Isaiah Kiner-Falefa would take over the shortstop position.
Derek Shelton announces that Oneil Cruz will be playing center with Nick Gonzales back. IKF at shortstop
"I think as of right now, we're looking at him as a center fielder," Shelton said, per Schuyler Callihan of Sports Illustrated. "It's something that we've been talking about. It's not something that we took lightly. He's an unbelievable athlete. We feel it's probably the best position for him and for the Pirates. We wanted to make sure we got a runway of games going into next year for that to be important. Excited to see him out there. I mean, this kid's a dynamic athlete and with the way that we're set up now we feel like that's the best thing for him."
Kiner-Falefa was previously at second base, but 2020 first-round pick Nick Gonzales will take over the position after being activated off the injured list.
Cruz has played 202 games at shortstop, 10 at designated hitter and one game in left field during his 215-game career. The stint in left field was just for one inning in 2022, but he also played in the outfield in spring training. He has made 24 errors at shortstop, which is second in MLB, and also has a dismal -9 runs saved in 2024.
The 6-foot-7 Cruz remains impactful at the plate, hitting .265/.324/.468 with 18 home runs and 63 RBIs. He is in the midst of his fourth MLB season, although it has been his first time playing more than 100 games.
Cruz will hope a shift to the outfield can help fix some defensive woes and that he can continue to develop alongside a young Pirates team.
MLB Rumors: Paul Skenes Being Shut Down for Rest of Season Isn't Planned by Pirates
Aug 19, 2024
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 10: Paul Skenes #30 pitches in the bottom of the second inning during the regular season game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Pirates aren't interested in shutting down starter Paul Skenes as he nears the end of his impressive rookie season.
According to Ken Rosenthal, Stephen J. Nesbitt, and Zack Meisel of The Athletic, the Pirates have "no such plans" to shut him down and don't have a set innings limit on him either. One precaution Pittsburgh is "considering" is potentially shortening his outings, similar to Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet.
The Pirates' postseason chances are slim, as they own the worst record in the NL Central at 58-65. They sit 13.5 games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers and 7.5 games back from the final wild-card berth.
One bright spot for the team has been Skenes, who has emerged as a star since he was called up on May 8. In 16 starts, he owns a 7-2 record to go along with a 2.30 ERA. He's averaging 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings and started for the National League in the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.
Paul Skenes has NINE strikeouts through four innings 🤯
Skenes has already pitched 98 innings with the Pirates and also racked up 27.1 innings this season at Triple-A. During his final season at LSU in 2023, he totaled 122.2 innings.
Pittsburgh has been cautious with the length of his starts, as he was pulled following seven no-hit innings against the Brewers on July 11.
While Skenes reportedly isn't in danger of getting shut down, the Pirates will be careful with the length of each start as he wraps up his inaugural season.
Video: Livvy Dunne Does Paul Skenes Pitching Impersonation in Full Pirates Uniform
Aug 17, 2024
ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 16: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Livvy Dunne looks on during the 2024 All-Star Red Carpet Show presented by Frutitas Agua Fresca at Globe Life Field North Plaza on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Livvy Dunne has apparently been working on her Paul Skenes impression lately.
The LSU gymnastics star appeared at Fanatics Fest on Saturday rocking a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform and even a fake mustache like Skenes'. She then did her best to replicate what Skenes does on the mound.
While she doesn't have quite as much velocity as her boyfriend, she did add some flair with a flip afterward, something that we likely won't ever see Skenes do after striking a batter out.
Perhaps Dunne can spend the rest of her offseason in the bullpen with Skenes working on her fastball, and in return maybe Skenes will work on his gymnastics skills.
Skenes is off the a tremendous star in his rookie year with the Pirates. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft has 121 strikeouts, a 2.30 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP in 16 starts, also recording a 7-2 record.
The LSU standout will look to continue his rise to stardom in the final stretch of the season.
Meanwhile for Dunne, she'll make her return to LSU for her fifth season later this year. She helped lead the Tigers to their fifth SEC title and first-ever national championship in 2024 and will look to add to that success this season.
Pirates' Paul Skenes Talks Lack of Run Support After 1st Loss of MLB Career
Jul 24, 2024
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 23: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on July 23, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Pittsburgh Pirates ace rookie pitcher Paul Skenes took the first loss of his career on Tuesday, falling 2-1 to the St. Louis Cardinals despite pitching into the ninth inning and striking out eight.
Paul Skenes pitched a gem in the FIRST LOSS of his MLB career 💎
Skenes hadn't lost a game since May 25, 2023, when he pitched for LSU against Arkansas in the SEC Tournament 😳 pic.twitter.com/KlQ1JVKORM
"Less room for error, for sure," Skenes told 93.7 The Fan.
"You look at that outing against the [Los Angeles Dodgers] when [the Pirates] scored seven in the first [two innings]. It's easier to pitch there, and the goal there is more to give us length, because the margin for error is a lot greater. The margin for error isn't quite as big, so you just gotta execute pitches a little bit finer."
The Pirates have scored 5.75 runs per start for Skenes. However, the Pirates' offense has been feast-or-famine when Skenes is on the mound. Five of his 12 starts have resulted in the Pirates scoring nine or more runs. However, Pittsburgh has only scored one run in four of his last five starts. That included a 1-0 win against the Milwaukee Brewers in which Skenes threw seven no-hit innings while striking out 11 before leaving the game after 99 pitches.
And with Skenes' performance Tuesday, he actually made history, albeit in a loss despite a tremendous outing.
Tonight Paul Skenes:
- got 25+ outs - allowed fewer than 5 hits - walked nobody - struck out 8+
No other MLB rookie in the modern era has done all of that and yet suffered the loss. pic.twitter.com/RkuTjLjoqd
Skenes, who started for the National League in the All-Star Game, is still enjoying an amazing season. He's gone 6-1 with a 1.93 ERA (0.87 WHIP) while striking out 97 over 74.2 innings.
The ex-LSU star's next start will be Monday at the Houston Astros.
Paul Skenes Says He Was 'Pretty Close' to Blacking Out amid 1st Career MLB ASG Start
Jul 17, 2024
ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 16: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the 94th MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Globe Life Field on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Paul Skenes is just 22 years old and in the middle of his rookie season, so he can be forgiven if starting in the All-Star Game fired him up almost too much.
"I don't think I blacked out, but I was pretty close," the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher told reporters Tuesday following his start in the American League's 5-3 victory.
While his National League side came up short, Skenes did his job.
He worked a scoreless first inning that included a highly anticipated showdown against New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. Juan Soto worked a walk with two outs and nobody on base, which allowed the American League's cleanup hitter a chance to face Skenes.
Paul Skenes gets Aaron Judge to groundout to complete a scoreless first inning 👏
He induced a ground out on the first pitch against the six-time All-Star and 2022 American League MVP, which was the highlight of his first showing in the Midsummer Classic.
Considering the fireballer has a 1.90 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 89 strikeouts in 66.1 innings through the first 11 starts of his career, he will surely have plenty more chances in future All-Star Games down the line.
Pirates' Paul Skenes Named NL Starting Pitcher for 2024 MLB All-Star Game
Jul 12, 2024
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 11: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch in the first inning \amb at American Family Field on July 11, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes will start the 2024 All-Star Game for the National League, MLB announced on Friday.
Your NL #AllStarGame starting pitcher: Paul Skenes ⭐
According to MLB Network, Skenes will become the fifth rookie pitcher to start an All-Star Game.
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, who will manage the NL team in the All-Star Game next week, hinted strongly Thursday night that Skenes would get the nod.
When asked about potential starters for the game, Lovullo specifically mentioned Skenes because he's been "an unbelievable addition" and "created a lot of interest in Major League Baseball" since being called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 9.
Torey Lovullo said he hasn't finalized his starting pitcher for the All-Star Game, but it sure sounds like Paul Skenes is getting serious consideration.
"He's come on very quickly. He's been an unbelievable addition to Major League Baseball, and he's created a lot of interest… pic.twitter.com/30BnJ6yqhV
If there was an argument against Skenes to start the game, it was based on the number of innings he has pitched in the big leagues relative to the other options.
Skenes has thrown only 66.1 innings in 11 starts. Chris Sale, Zack Wheeler, Christopher Sánchez and Hunter Greene were among the other candidates who could've started, and they have all thrown more than 100 innings so far this season.
On a per-start basis, though, Skenes has been the most consistently dominant pitcher in the NL. The 22-year-old had the best start of his young career on Thursday when he threw seven no-hit innings with 11 strikeouts and one walk against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Here are all 11 strikeouts by Paul Sꓘenes in case you missed it.
Thursday was the sixth consecutive start in which Skenes has allowed two or fewer runs with seven or more strikeouts. He's yet to allow more than three runs in any of his starts.
Skenes' 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings ranks first in the NL among all players with at least 60 innings pitched. His 1.90 ERA is second only to Reynaldo López of the Atlanta Braves (1.71).
The All-Star Game is a marketing event intended to sell the biggest stars in the sport to casual audiences who may not be inclined to watch games every day like a hardcore fan, which also likely factored into the decision to start Skenes.
Outside of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, it can be argued that Skenes has been the biggest star—or at least the most-talked-about star—in MLB since he debuted.
Depending on how AL manager Bruce Bochy puts together his starting lineup, the idea of having Skenes potentially face Judge, Gunnar Henderson and Juan Soto in the first inning of the All-Star Game is something everyone in the sport should want to see.
Paul Skenes is Ultimate Example of MLB's Load Management Dilemma
Kerry Miller
Jul 12, 2024
Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes
It didn't take long at all for Pittsburgh Pirates ace rookie Paul Skenes to become Major League Baseball's primary source of must-see television.
While the No. 1 overall picks from the drafts in 2020 (Spencer Torkelson), 2021 (Henry Davis) and 2022 (Jackson Holliday) are presently languishing in Triple-A, last year's No. 1 pick really should be the starting pitcher for the National League at next week's All-Star Game.
In 11 career starts (nine quality starts) over the past two months, Skenes has a 1.90 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, a 12.1 K/9 and a mustache-wielding swagger that made him a fan favorite in the City of Pierogi Love before he ever threw a pitch in the majors.
Every time he steps to the mound, there's a chance something special is going to happen.
Paul Skenes' final first-half numbers, after his seven-inning, no-hit, 11-strikeout gem today:
66.1 innings 48 hits 13 walks 89 strikeouts 7 home runs 1.90 ERA Opponent slash: .202/.251/.319 Average fastball velocity: 99.1 mph
However, during Thursday's masterpiece against the Milwaukee Brewers, the fact that he wasn't given the chance to finish something special almost broke the internet.
After going seven hitless innings with 11 strikeouts, Skenes was pulled from the game at 99 pitches.
Two pitches later, the no-hitter was gone.
(Pittsburgh did still win the game 1-0, for what it's worth.)
That exact situation isn't terribly uncommon in baseball's current state of pitch count and load-management hysteria.
In May alone, it happened three times, with Ben Brown (93 pitches), Kyle Bradish (103 pitches), and Max Fried (109 pitches) each getting the hook after seven no-hit innings.
In each of those three cases—and with Skenes on Thursday—the manager had to make a tough decision.
If you send the starter back out to start the 8th inning, you're unofficially committing to leaving him in until he either gives up a hit or finishes the job. This means letting him throw possibly 125 or more pitches in an era where even the workhorse starters rarely reach 110.
The vast majority of managers would do exactly what Derek Shelton did.
"It didn't have anything to do with pitch count…. It was about trusting your eyes," Shelton told reporters after the game.
Because he is a rookie sensation, though, this particular instance struck a serious nerve.
What's noteworthy in this hullabaloo is that, up until Thursday, Pittsburgh had been surprisingly liberal with Skenes' workload.
He pitched a grand total of just 34 innings in the minors before getting the call to the big leagues, yet he racked up 100 pitches—in six no-hit innings with 11 strikeouts, by the way—in the second start of his career.
On June 23, he went seven innings for the first time, hitting 102 MPH on the radar gun on his 98th and final pitch of that game. He proceeded to throw 102 pitches his next time out and tallied 107 pitches last Friday. It was his fourth time in triple digits through 10 starts.
Conversely, AL Rookie of the Year favorite Luis Gil has reached 100 pitches just once in his 18 starts.
Yet, here we are, ready to burn Shelton at the stake for letting load management get in the way of possible history.
Though I feel he made the right decision to pull Skenes, it's a bit hard to argue with the fans up in arms right now, because here's the worst-kept secret about load management:
It ain't f****** working.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 23: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch in the first inning during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at PNC Park on June 23, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Even with the intense focus on pitch counts for well over a decade at this point, we spent a big chunk of the start of this season discussing what can possibly be done to keep pitchers healthy while watching one big-name pitcher after another shelved for the year by early April.
Within the past two calendar years, 65 MLB pitchers have needed Tommy John surgery—and that's merely the most ominous of the many forearm/elbow/shoulder/lat injuries that load management has done absolutely nothing to prevent.
Heck, it hasn't even been a full week since Pittsburgh's other star rookie pitcher, Jared Jones, landed on the IL with a lat strain. He had yet to eclipse 100 pitches in a start.
Listen, I'm not campaigning for a return to an ancient time when Nolan Ryan was once allowed to throw 235 pitches in a 13-inning outing before proceeding to take the mound again three days later.
But one could easily argue that the industry-wide obsession with pitch counts is actually doing way more harm than good. Pitchers have been trained/wired to give maximum effort on what they know will likely be a maximum of 100 pitches, with ligaments that simply are not built to survive that type of constant strain.
Travis Sawchik of theScore dug into this notion back in April when all Tommy John hell was breaking loose and found that the median velocity on fastballs has been steadily increasing for years, from 90.9 MPH in 2007 to 94.5 MPH through the first few weeks of this season.
The median minimum fastball velocity climbed from 85.6 MPH to 91.5 MPH in that same time frame.
The TL;DR takeaway is they don't make 'em like Greg Maddux anymore.
The art of pitching—picking your spots where you can get away with a "get me over" fastball or a breaking ball with a little less spin rate—has gone the way of the dodo bird, replaced with guys giving it everything they've got for what is more or less a pre-set number of pitches.
We all know this to be true. We are infatuated with Statcast data. We swoon over Mason Miller's 103 MPH bullets. We cackle at Jhoan Duran's splinkers and the spin rate on Seth Lugo's curveballs. And when a pitcher's velocity is a tick below his norm, he gets asked about it after the game.
Still, we have the audacity to wonder what's the harm in letting an exciting rookie throw upwards of 125 pitches in pursuit of a no-hitter, in part because he should be able to recover with more than a week off before making his next start after the All-Star Break?
Only three pitchers in @MLB history have recorded multiple starts in a season with 10+ strikeouts, 0 hits & no more than one walk allowed:
Sending him back out there for possibly two more innings already at 99 pitches would've been the pitching equivalent of asking a marathon runner who is about to cross the finish line if he can stretch it to 32 miles today instead of the usual 26.2.
Maybe he would have been no worse for wear?
Maybe he would have bounced back about as poorly as Matt Harvey and Stephen Strasburg did from giving it everything they had in the 2015 and 2019 World Series, respectively?
We'll never know.
However, until we can somehow convince flame-throwing pitchers to start taking their foot off the gas a wee bit every now and then during their starts—a ship that sailed a long time ago—maybe we shouldn't get so outraged when a manager prioritizes UCLs over no-nos.
Pirates' Derek Shelton: Paul Skenes Wasn't Pulled During No-Hitter Due to Pitch Count
Jul 11, 2024
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 11: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch in the first inning \amb at American Family Field on July 11, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes threw 99 pitches in seven hitless innings during his team's 1-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, but manager Derek Shelton said that number isn't why he pulled the starter before giving him a chance to finish the no-hitter.
"It really didn't have anything to do with the pitch count," he told reporters. "Everybody makes it about pitch counts. It was about where he was at. It was about trusting your eyes, trusting him. When I went and talked to him after that, I mean, he was tired. They did a good job of wearing him down."
Ultimately, it is Shelton's job to maximize Pittsburgh's chances to win the game, and the visitors did just that.
Colin Holderman and Aroldis Chapman combined to pitch two scoreless innings to finish out the win even though the Brewers were finally able to get a hit after Skenes exited the contest.
Still, Skenes missing out on a chance to pitch a no-hitter was the bigger storyline than the result of one July baseball game.
The 22-year-old has been electric during his rookie season for the Pirates and would have had quite the career achievement during just his 11th career start if he did pitch a no-hitter. And, even though Shelton said the ace was tired, he appeared to be getting stronger as the game progressed.
After all, Skenes threw a grand total of six pitches in the seventh inning and still hadn't reached the century mark at that point. He struck out 11 and had little trouble with the lineup of the first-place team in the National League Central.
In a testament to how incredible the rising star has been at the start of his career, this is the second time Skenes was lifted without giving up a hit and while striking out 11. He pitched six hitless frames and fanned 11 during a May 17 start against the Chicago Cubs before he was taken out with 100 pitches.
Alex Stumpf of MLB.com noted Skenes joined the legendary Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers with multiple starts of six or more hitless innings with 11 or more strikeouts in the same season.
Ryan finished the no-hitters in 1973.
If Skenes continues to pitch like he has at the start of his career, he will likely have more opportunities in the future to actually finish the no-hitters.
Pirates' Paul Skenes Discusses Being Pulled After 7 No-Hit Innings: 'I Get it'
Jul 11, 2024
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 11: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 11, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Paul Skenes had a tremendous day on the mound against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, pitching seven hitless innings before being pulled ahead of the eighth.
While completing the no-hitter would have been a tremendous feat, the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher said that he understands the decision to pull him out of the game given the tight circumstances.
"I wasn't going to be surprised either way, if he sent me out or pulled me," Skenes said. "We have [Colin] Holderman and [Aroldis] Chapman at the back end of our bullpen, so I think those are, I think, probably two of the best guys in the league, so I have a ton of trust in them to be able to finish it. Obviously, in a 1-0 game, you want to stay in there, you want to finish it, but the volume's getting up there a little bit, so I get it."
"We went into the outing with a plan... just adjusted to what they were doing and what they were thinking. Made it fun."@Pirates All-Star Paul Skenes joins #MLBNOffBase after 7 innings of no-hit ball in a Pittsburgh victory! #LetsGoBucspic.twitter.com/XgKUiKMemU
The Pirates led 1-0 at the time as Colin Holderman came in ahead of the eighth to hold Pittsburgh's lead. Aroldis Chapman closed the game in the ninth to get the win and the save.
Though he couldn't complete the no-hitter on Thursday, Skenes has had a tremendous start to his MLB career. Since making his debut in May, the LSU product and top pick in the 2023 MLB draft has picked up 89 strikeouts and a 1.90 ERA across 66.1 innings, notching a 6-0 record in 11 appearances.
On Thursday, he tied his career-high with 11 strikeouts.
Skenes recently became the first player in MLB history to become an All-Star in his first season after being selected first overall in the amateur draft. He's also the first rookie pitcher in Pirates history to achieve that feat.
After Thursday's performance, fans called for Skenes to be named the starter for the All-Star Game, and he certainly made a strong case to do so.
After the All-Star break, the Pirates will look to finish the season strong and make a push to reach the playoffs. Pittsburgh currently sits in third place in the NL Central at 45-48 on the year.
Livvy Dunne Hypes Paul Skenes' 7 No-Hit Innings for Pirates vs. Brewers: 'Slay'
Jul 11, 2024
PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 11: Guests of Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates including Olivia 'Livvy' Dunne look on from their seats during the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Saturday, May 11, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne was excited for her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates starter Paul Skenes, after his impressive outing on Thursday.
"Slay," Dunne wrote on her Instagram story over Skenes' numbers during a 1-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
The 22-year-old was dominant against the Brewers, racking up 11 strikeouts compared to just one walk over seven innings. Skenes didn't allow a hit, although he was pulled from the game before the bottom of the eighth inning after throwing 99 pitches.
Pittsburgh's bullpen allowed a pair of singles to break up the team's no-hit bid, but the rookie still wrapped up an incredible performance. Through his first 11 career starts, Skenes is now 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA. He's averaging 12.08 strikeouts per nine innings and has allowed a mere 13 total walks.
Skenes' hot start to his career has already put him in the history books, as he became the first player to make an All-Star team after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the prior draft (h/t Bob Nightengale of USA Today). Dunne celebrated with her boyfriend after finding out about the achievement.
The right-hander's stellar rookie season has helped the Pirates remain competitive in the National League playoff race, moving to 45-48 after Thursday's win. Pittsburgh currently sits 2.5 games back of the final wild-card spot.
