Pirates Push Back Paul Skenes’ Start to Give Ace Extra Rest

Pirates manager Don Kelly announced that Paul Skenes will not pitch the series finale against the Boston Red Sox as originally scheduled. Instead, the ace will start the series finale against the Detroit Tigers three days later, providing him with an eight-day rest period.

ESPN

Skenes entered the 2026 season as the 2024 Rookie of the Year and the 2025 NL Cy Young winner. Early in the year he posted a 1.09 ERA over eight starts (April 1 – May 12) and a near-perfect game versus Milwaukee. Since mid-May his ERA has risen to 5.79 over his past nine starts, and the Pirates have lost 16 of their last 23 games, sitting 60-65, last in the NL Central.

Sports Illustrated

• Record & Workload: 9-11, 3.88 ERA, 166 strikeouts, 134 2/3 innings.

Sports Illustrated

• Recent Start (Aug 11 vs. Miami): 65 pitches, five innings, two runs, four strikeouts; fastball averaged 95.7 mph.

USA Today

• Season-Long Velocity: SI reports a season average of 96.8 mph; Heavy notes a drop from 98.8 mph as a rookie to 96.8 mph this year.

ESPN

• Command: Walk rate up to 6.8 %.

USA Today

• Home-Runs Allowed: 10 in 84 2/3 innings since May 17.

USA Today

• Don Kelly said the adjustment is intended to “give him more rest” and noted that “there isn’t anything injury-related.”

ESPN

• No formal league comment was issued; the decision remains an internal roster move.

ESPN

• Velocity Figures: ESPN and Heavy cite a single-game low of 95.7 mph; SI lists a season average of 96.8 mph.

ESPN

• ERA Over Recent Starts: ESPN notes a 5.79 ERA over the past nine starts, while USA Today reports a 5.00 ERA in the 16 starts since May 17.

Sports Illustrated

• No official statement confirms whether Skenes will remain on an eight-day rotation beyond the upcoming start.

Detroit News

• “It certainly can't hurt in terms of recovery, and you add recovery in for anybody and that's going to help,” — Paul Skenes

ESPN

• “There's kind of no way to know because I think this will probably be the first time I've ever pitched on an eight-day rotation," Skenes said.” — Paul Skenes

Sports Illustrated

The adjustment gives Skenes his first eight-day rest since his rookie season. If the extra recovery improves his velocity and command, the Pirates could stabilize a rotation that has been the league’s worst in the past month. Continued struggles could further erode the team’s chances of climbing out of last place.

Detroit News

Skenes is slated to face Jackson Jobe of the Tigers on Wednesday, marking his first start after a full week’s rest. The Pirates will start reliever Lake Bachar against the Red Sox on Sunday. The outcome of the Wednesday start will inform whether the eight-day rotation becomes a longer-term strategy for the remainder of the season.

ESPN