Pirates' Ace Paul Skenes Blames World Baseball Classic for Velocity Drop and Struggles
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Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has admitted that participating in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) earlier this year may have contributed to his struggles in the 2026 season. Skenes, who won the National League Cy Young Award in 2025, has seen his average fastball velocity drop from 98 mph to 96.8 mph this season. He believes that the intense ramp-up required for the WBC affected his mechanics and caused him to lose some velocity. Despite his struggles, Skenes still has an fWAR of 4.3 and remains a quality pitcher. The Pirates hope that a full offseason of rest will help Skenes return to his pre-WBC form in 2027.
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