Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, is facing scrutiny over his velocity drop and lack of wins in the first half of the season. However, Skenes remains confident and methodical, trusting his process and believing that his performance will normalize in the second half. Despite the velocity dip, his four-seamer has been solid, with opponents hitting .195 against it, compared to .205 last year and .230 as a rookie. Skenes' actual ERA is 0.86 higher than his expected ERA, but his strikeout rate, walk rate, and quality of contact are within his career norms.
Skenes' first half has been described as 'weird' and 'interesting', with a grade of 'B'. He has learned that there has been a lot of fuss over the performance of pitching coach Bill Murphy, but Skenes doesn't share those concerns. He believes that the problems the Pirates pitchers have experienced are more player-driven than anything. Skenes has also changed how frequently he relies on his fastball, throwing it 51% and 60% of the time over his last two starts, which has allowed him to consistently pound the zone more.
Despite the velocity dip, Skenes remains confident and excited to get going in the second half, believing he and the Pirates still have plenty to prove. He is super-confident in their ability to show up after the break and is looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.
