Paul Skenes

Pirates ace Paul Skenes, the National League Rookie of the Year, told reporters that Pittsburgh's slow start needs to be attributed to the players, "the ones playing," and not the club's management, despite the latter being the target of the fans' ire.

Pirates ace Paul Skenes, the National League Rookie of the Year, told reporters that Pittsburgh's slow start needs to be attributed to the players, "the ones playing," and not the club's management, despite the latter being the target of the fans' ire.

Pitching's top award will be hotly-contested this upcoming season, as Paul Skenes looks to take the leap as the game's best pitcher. See the Cy Young odds.

Pittsburgh's pitching phenom helps them end a four-game losing streak with his longest outing since last July.

Skenes struck out six, and he initiated 13 swings and misses out of his 102 pitches. The right-hander was routinely in the high 90 mph with his fastball, and while it wasn't the most dominant we've seen him in the majors, that's much more compliment to some other outings than insult to this one. Skenes takes a 1.46 ERA into his third start of the season; scheduled for Tuesday against the Cardinals.