Rookie sensation Paul Skenes faces the Chicago Cubs for the fourth time this season when he takes the mound for the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.
Each of the right-hander’s first two career starts came against Chicago, including the memorable second one in which he struck out 11 in six no-hit innings at Wrigley Field before being removed.
His most recent start against the Cubs was last Wednesday, when he left with a lead before the Cubs rallied for 11 runs over the final three innings to record a 14-10 victory.
That was part of a three-game series in which Chicago scored 41 runs while sweeping the Pirates. Pittsburgh started this three-game set much better by scoring five runs over the final two innings on Monday to post a 5-3 win.
Bryan Reynolds hit a tying three-run homer in the eighth inning and Andrew McCutchen hit the go-ahead shot two batters later as the Pirates halted Chicago’s season-best six-game winning streak.
“This is why you don’t give up,” said McCutchen, who extended his hitting streak to 14 starts. “It started with the guys before me, guys getting on. … Bryan hit a big three-run homer to tie it up. Yeah, I put a good swing on the ball and got it out. Good game, good win.”
Pittsburgh is just 8-19 over a difficult stretch, but there is always hope when Skenes takes the mound.
The 22-year-old who started the All-Star Game for the National League has lived up to his billing as one of the best pitching prospects in recent baseball history.
Skenes (8-2, 2.23 ERA) has struck out 136 batters in 109 innings and has limited hitters to a .201 batting average.
“Probably my ability to lock in,” Skenes said of his biggest attribute. “Every day, just coming in and getting my work done. I don’t think that’s something people can see, but just getting here and getting quality work in every single day, both now and in the offseason. That’s the biggest thing that helps me.”
Skenes is battling San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill for NL Rookie of the Year honors. He is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his three outings against the Cubs.
Chicago’s Nico Hoerner (2-for-3) homered against Skenes, while Michael Busch and Isaac Paredes are both 0-for-5 against him.
Chicago missed out on a big opportunity with Monday’s collapse — Jorge Lopez served up both homers — as it fell 3 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the battle for the NL’s third wild-card spot. The New York Mets are a half-game behind the Braves.
The Cubs had won nine of 10 games before the loss and scored 99 runs during that span. But Dansby Swanson’s solo homer and Ian Happ’s two-run triple were all they could muster on Monday.
Chicago was in control through seven shutout innings from right-hander Jameson Taillon. The decision to pull him after 89 pitches in favor of Lopez didn’t pan out.
“He didn’t have a good night (Monday),” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Lopez. “But that was the decision, and it was an easy decision.”
Right-hander Kyle Hendricks (3-10, 6.75) will start Tuesday. Counsell said after Monday’s game that left-hander Justin Steele was scratched due to elbow soreness.
The Pirates probably are OK with that, as they torched Hendricks for six runs and eight hits over 1 2/3 innings last Wednesday.
Hendricks, 34, is 9-14 with a 4.09 ERA in 32 career starts against Pittsburgh. He is 0-1 with an 11.12 ERA in three 2024 outings against the Pirates.
Connor Joe is 9-for-16 against Hendricks and Reynolds (9-for-38) has two homers off him.
–Field Level Media