The Pittsburgh Pirates opened the year playing high-caliber baseball and even led the NL Central for a few weeks.
They cooled off considerably and currently boast a losing record, but at 64-74, it represents an improvement over recent seasons and offers hope for contention as soon as next year.
The best news of the season, for the organization and their fans, was the decision to draft Paul Skenes with the No. 1 pick this summer.
The Pirates have a talented group of position player prospects and young major leaguers: Henry Davis, Endy Rodriguez, Jared Triolo, Nick Gonzales, and they recently extended Bryan Reynolds.
They do lack pitching, and that’s why they went with Skenes over Dylan Crews.
Skenes, who pitched 122.2 innings in college this past season and had a taste of Double-A ball, has been shut down by the Pirates.
Fans reacted to this news on Twitter.
Some fans were looking forward to a matchup against Crews, who is also playing in Double-A for the Washington Nationals.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WE WANTED TO SEE HIM VS CREWS
— suffering pirates fan (@Dylan_Means4) September 5, 2023
you couldn’t have waited for his final start
— selena (@selenaax_) September 5, 2023
Of course, humor also found its way to the tweet’s replies:
A few national baseball writers have recently been saying it's highly possible Skenes could pitch a couple innings in the big leagues near the end of the season. Obviously they don't know the Pirates organization very well…
— ✨JC✨ (@SteelCityJames) September 5, 2023
There were some people who actually understood the Pirates’ decision from a baseball standpoint.
This is a good thing, everyone. I wanted him to pitch as much as the next person. But he threw a TON of innings this year nd he's being shut down so he can actually rest and get after it come spring training.
— Sean (@Seannn412) September 5, 2023
Skenes is a rookie, and considering his college workload, he pitched a lot this year.
It’s in his best interest to shut down for a few weeks and then start to prepare for a pivotal 2024 season, one that could include a ticket to MLB if he can show he can dominate the upper minors.
Judging by his talent and demeanor on the mound, he has all the tools to succeed.
NEXT: Pirates Make A Surprising Decision Regarding Paul Skenes