Fierce competitor Paul Skenes won’t give you an inch once you step into that batter’s box.
The Pirates’ star pitcher was on a roll Tuesday, striking out the first six Rockies batters he faced, when the light-hitting Willi Castro attempted to bunt for a hit on a 97-mph fastball.
Skenes easily fielded his position and underhanded tossed the ball to his first baseman to get the out as fans booed Castro for bunting.
As Castro headed back to the dugout, Skenes was seen on camera saying “nice bunt” with a big smile.
“I don’t think I said anything to him,” Skenes told reporters postgame. “I don’t think I’ll ever say anything to the opposition. But I thought that was kind of funny.”
Skenes added that the reporters are “good lip readers” and that he made the comment to himself, not to Castro.
No one who has stepped into the batter’s box has had a chance against Skenes of late.
The Pirates’ hulking right-hander was downright filthy again Tuesday, tossing eight innings of shutout ball, striking out 10 and allowing just two baserunners in a 3-1 win.
He has not allowed a run in his last 16 innings, striking out 17 and allowing only four hits with no walks in this stretch.
The Pirates are one of baseball’s best surprises this year, though so has the rest of the NL Central.
Don Kelly’s group sits at 23-19, fourth in the division and four games behind the first-place Cubs.
The most dominant pitcher in baseball, Skenes is leading MLB in WHIP by far (0.64) and has a 1.98 ERA, the third-best mark in the National League.
That number would be significantly lower had the Mets not blasted him for five runs in the first inning on Opening Day.
Skenes has only allowed six earned runs in eight starts since.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
