Pirates’ Paul Skenes Numbers Reveal a Surprising Fastball Detail

Despite Paul Skenes' four-seam fastball velocity dropping from roughly 98 mph to 96.8 mph in 2026, the pitch maintained a 29.7% whiff rate. However, Alvin Garcia reports that the Pittsburgh Pirates ace experienced a tougher campaign overall as his ERA rose from 1.97 to 3.82. Opponents did far more damage on contact against the fastball, with their slugging percentage against it rising from .347 to .417.

Skenes' underlying metrics reflected the difficult season, as he yielded 20 home runs compared to 11 the previous year. His walks climbed from 42 to 49 across 174.1 innings, and his fielding-independent pitching reached 3.33. Garcia emphasizes that Pittsburgh must focus on pitch execution, sequencing, and limiting high-damage contact rather than simply targeting increased velocity during the offseason.