Why Paul Skenes was pulled vs Mets. Pirates' shocking decision sparks backlash

Paul Skenes’ 2026 season couldn’t have begun in worse fashion. The Pittsburgh Pirates ace was pulled after recording just two outs vs Mets

Updated on: Mar 26, 2026, 23:49:55 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Paul Skenes’ 2026 season couldn’t have begun in worse fashion. The Pittsburgh Pirates ace was pulled after recording just two outs on Opening Day against the New York Mets, marking one of the shortest outings of his career.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

Struggles pile up quickly

Skenes needed 47 pitches to get through just 2/3 of an inning, as the Mets’ lineup jumped on him early. He surrendered five earned runs before being taken out, unable to find rhythm or command.

Early Cy Young hopes take a hit

Entering the season as a favorite to win a second consecutive Cy Young award, Skenes was expected to set the tone on Opening Day. Instead, the rough outing immediately raised concerns about his form.

One of worst outings of his career

For a pitcher who has dominated since entering the league, the performance stood out for all the wrong reasons. It ranks among the most difficult starts of Skenes’ young career and puts early pressure on the Pirates’ rotation moving forward.

Paul Skenes' numbers vs Mets

0.2 IP

5 ER

1 K

4 H

2 BB

37 Pitches

Reactions to Paul Skenes

Several fans and experts reacted to the Pirates star's poor show. “Paul Skenes is awesome and I hope he has an incredible career. But I am enjoying all of this,” NFL insider Ian Rapoport wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Logan Webb getting shelled. Paul Skenes can’t make it out of the 1st. What happened to the game that I love,” another fan tweeted.

“Paul Skenes gets pulled in the 1st inning…And leaves to a loud ovation at Citi! WOW,” a third one added.

‘Make it to playoffs’

Ahead of opening day, Skenes spoke about his plans for this season. "We want to win the division. We want to make the playoffs. That’s it. How we do that, who knows?" the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner said Wednesday.

"I don’t want to put a number of games out there because that’s just putting a ceiling on us. We’ve got to go out there and play well every day.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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