PITTSBURGH -- As if it were scripted, the rain clouds parted and the sun snuck through to the North Shore of Pittsburgh as Paul Skenes walked out of the dugout to go to his pregame bullpen Saturday. The fans who were already seated 40 minutes before first pitch gave him

A little over 10 months removed from being selected first overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, flamethrowing right-hander Paul Skenes made his highly anticipated MLB debut, striking out seven across four-plus innings in the Pirates' 10-9 win over the Cubs on Saturday at PNC Park.

• Why the Pirates believe

Paul Skenes is the reigning No. 1 MLB Draft pick, the Most Outstanding Player in last year’s College World Series, MLB's top pitching prospect, and he ate up Triple-A hitters all spring with his electric stuff. For good reason, his arrival in the Major Leagues with the Pirates was highly

The anticipation and hype surrounding Paul Skenes’ Major League debut has been so reminiscent to that which followed Stephen Strasburg when he, too, made his debut just under a year after being selected first overall in the 2009 Draft. But the two dates have even more in common, something that

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PITTSBURGH -- Ultimately, the decision to call up Paul Skenes was two-fold, the first being that the things he was working on with Triple-A Indianapolis -- such as certain pitch executions and use of pitches -- had been satisfied. The second, and more important in general manager Ben Cherington’s eyes,

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PITTSBURGH -- Paul Skenes woke up Wednesday to three missed calls from a number he didn't have saved on his phone. He had thrown his scheduled bullpen session before Triple-A Indianapolis' 11:08 a.m. ET game against Louisville and he needed a nap after the game. It turns out that call

This story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf’s Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

PITTSBURGH -- Nick Gonzales went to bat in the first inning wanting to be aggressive, and that mindset paid off. He offered at the first pitch and lined a Javier Assad sinker up the middle for a two-run single. One pitch back in the Majors, one hit and two RBIs

PITTSBURGH -- The wait for Paul Skenes is finally over. The Pirates announced on Wednesday that they are promoting their top prospect to the Majors. Skenes, a fireballing right-hander, is scheduled to make his first start on Saturday against the Cubs at PNC Park (4:05 p.m. ET), according to the

In the later part of the 2023 collegiate baseball season, the Pirates sent Dewey Robinson to Baton Rouge, La., on a scouting trip. A special advisor on pitching development, Robinson has more than 40 years of coaching experience under his belt and is one of the highest ranking members of

Paul Skenes was selected first overall by the Pirates in the 2023 MLB Draft. Less than a year later, he's already dominating at Triple-A ... and now he'll have a chance to dominate in the big leagues. Pittsburgh announced it will call up Skenes for his MLB debut on Saturday

Paul Skenes could be Stephen Strasburg. Stephen Strasburg could be Paul Skenes. Send Skenes back in time or bring Strasburg forward, and one easily could stand in for the other. Both overmatched college hitters, leading NCAA Division I in strikeouts while posting the highest K rates in D-I history for

The wait for Paul Skenes is almost over. The Pirates are set to start their top prospect Saturday against the Cubs in a game fans have been waiting for since Skenes was taken with the first overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft. In anticipation of Saturday, where does Skenes’

It remains to be seen what kind of big league career Paul Skenes will have, but now that it’s about to begin, we can try to put the build-up to his Major League debut in some historical context. There is no question that Skenes’ debut is the most highly anticipated

There has been no shortage of surprising developments in the 2024 season. Whether they are good or bad developments, or on the player or team-wide level, there are plenty of trends that have already shifted the arc of this season. With the help of each club's MLB.com beat writer, here

PITTSBURGH -- Oneil Cruz's surgically repaired left ankle isn’t quite 100 percent yet. The overall season results aren’t quite 100 percent there yet either as he continues to climb back from that injury. At least for right now, the outlook for both is looking quite good. Cruz picked up a

Paul Skenes’ MLB debut -- set for Saturday -- has been the top headline in prospect circles for weeks now. Fans are clamoring to see the 6-foot-6 fireballer and his electric stuff in Pittsburgh. While Skenes’ fanfare is well deserved, there’s another an ace-in-the-making toeing the rubber in the Steel

This story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf’s Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Big league closers can come from all areas of the pitching world. Some are guys who have always been relievers, from college all the way up to the big leagues. Some were starters whose power stuff (and perhaps lack of command) were better suited for shorter stints coming out of

PITTSBURGH -- If there has been one consistent element of Quinn Priester's brief Major League career, it is probably the inconsistency. For three innings Tuesday, he was sharp, front-hipping sinkers to right-handed hitters and using his full pitch mix to left-handers. He allowed just one base runner. He looked in

PITTSBURGH -- Edward Olivares knew off the bat that he had it. Angels starter Tyler Anderson was effective for most of Monday night at PNC Park, but his cutter was left out over the plate and Olivares didn’t miss, launching a 424-foot grand slam. “Dream come true, for sure,” said