If Paul Skenes were a superhero, you would put a cape on him; he’s a pitching Superman.
Skenes’ performance against Team Mexico in Houston at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Monday was dazzling. Going four innings against a stacked lineup that included MLB heavyweight hitters Randy Arozarena and Jarren Duran (who hit two home runs in Monday’s game), Skenes didn’t disappoint. Allowing one hit, no runs, and one walk, while striking out seven batters, Skenes lived up to the hype leading up to the international clash at Daikin Park before 41,628 fans.
It started as a quiet spring for Skenes. When he arrived in Bradenton, Florida for training camp with the Pittsburgh Pirates in early February, there was much anticipation about what new heights Skenes’ pitching would reach in his third MLB season. Fifty-five games over two seasons with Pittsburgh has brought the celebrated right-handed starter to the top of his profession.
Since making his Pirates debut on May 11, 2024, Skenes has been selected as a starting pitcher for the last two MLB All-Star Games, captured the National League Rookie of the Year Award, and in 2025 was selected by voting members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America as the NL Cy Young Award winner, recognizing him as the 15-team league’s top pitcher.
On Tuesday, MLB.com’s David Adler captured Skenes’ thoughts on the importance of playing for his country in the WBC tournament.
“The first one I can remember watching is the 2017 one, which was an iconic tournament, and had some iconic moments,” Skenes said. “It’s been awesome. So I can’t wait to keep going.”
“Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence In All We Do,” he wrote.
As the winning pitcher of Monday’s game, after Team USA plays Team Italy on Tuesday, the wait comes before learning where Skenes and his teammates place for the tournament’s quarterfinals.
Team USA is 3–0 heading into Tuesday evening’s game. The WBC quarterfinal round will take place in Houston as well as at Miami’s LoanDepot Park on March 13 and March 14. The championship game is scheduled for March 17 in Miami.
Throwing 60 pitches on Monday and thus far for Pittsburgh during one Grapefruit League appearance, for a total of 2.1 innings of work, Skenes appears effortless in dominating his opponents. Favoring a fastball, sinker, and splitter, the 23-year-old has rung up 386 strikeouts for the Pirates in less than two full seasons.
The announcement of his name as a game’s starting pitcher is an automatic boon for club owners watching attendance figures. On April 19, 2025 in Pittsburgh, a game against the visiting Cleveland Guardians when Skenes Rookie of the Year bobbleheads were distributed to fans, a massive crowd of 37,713 was attracted. This was the second-highest home attendance last season for the Pirates.
Should Team USA earn a spot as one of the two final clubs out of the 20 in the tournament to play in the championship game on March 17, Skenes could be back working on his spring training schedule the next day in Bradenton. The Pirates are scheduled to play the Detroit Tigers at home on March 18. This would leave six games for Skenes to work on his repertoire, before accepting the Pirates’ Opening Day assignment on March 26 in New York opposing the Mets.
Where some players need to get ready, there’s an obvious calmness surrounding Skenes that oozes confidence at all times, even as the conversation about the best pitcher in the game today includes him along with Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet.
Whether in Pittsburgh’s clubhouse or out on the field or in the bullpen, Skenes’ often quiet and unassuming personality goes under the radar of some of the more vocal players. Skenes is to pitching to what New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is to hitting.
Moreover, his actions away from the public show Skenes as the consummate teammate. At Bradenton’s LECOM Park, Pittsburgh’s southern home, deep in the clubhouse, Skenes is often hanging with fellow pitchers Jared Jones and Mitch Keller. He’s elated to be just one of the guys.
Now, after Monday’s dominance of Team Mexico, Skenes’ pitching superiority and moral clarity have spiked beyond Southwestern Pennsylvania. Team USA in the WBC is reaching heights experienced weeks back by Team USA men’s hockey in winning Olympic gold.
Even though next week he'll be exchanging his USA jersey for the black and gold colors of the Pirates, Skenes will likely always consider red, white, and blue to be the colors of his home team, in whatever ballpark he appears.
