Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, will pitch for Team USA against the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic semifinals on Sunday night in Miami. In Bradenton, Florida, his Pittsburgh Pirates teammates watch closely, viewing him as a key leader. Skenes' impact extends from on-field performance to organizational input and offseason training initiatives.
From the Pirates' spring training base in Bradenton, Florida, teammates like Bubba Chandler and Mitch Keller praise Skenes as a driving force. Chandler said, “Guys are chasing him, striving to do what he does.” Keller added, “He’s the guy. People follow that. And what better person to have be the guy?” At 23 years old, Skenes acts as a veteran leader, offering input on free agent calls to general manager Ben Cherington, the shift from pitching coach Oscar Marin to Bill Murphy, and scheduling ideas welcomed by manager Don Kelly. This offseason, he set up a pitching lab in North Palm Beach, inviting pitchers including Hunter Barco, Jared Jones, Chandler, Carmen Mlodzinski, Kyle Nicolas before his trade, Thomas Harrington, and Braxton Ashcraft to train together. Barco, 25, called him “a workhorse on and off the field” focused on winning. Mlodzinski described Skenes as “a full-on vet,” noting his growing vocal leadership and behind-the-scenes influence on team logistics. With Andrew McCutchen now in Texas and the Pirates eyeing the postseason, Skenes exemplifies consistency. Chandler highlighted his reliability: “He’s the same guy every day and someone you can count on.” As eyes turn to his 8 p.m. ET start at loanDepot park on FS1, Skenes balances camaraderie and challenge, earning trust across the clubhouse.
