Imagine Paul Skenes… but better.
The 2024 NL Rookie of the Year finished his big-league debut, boasting a 1.96 ERA with 170 strikeouts and 32 walks in 133 innings for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates recently added Brent Strom as the assistant pitching coach, which is stellar news for Skenes.
With the Houston Astros, Brent Strom was a key factor in the success of a rotation that created multiple World Series appearances. That included 2017 when the Astros won it all. Young pitchers like Joe Musgrove and Lance McCullers were on that squad.
Strom had this innate ability to take an “average” pitcher and enhance their potential. It started with small conversations and fixes during spring training.
While increasing specialty pitches can be important and concentrating on swing-and-miss will always be beneficial, Strom said the mindset is just as important as the craft.
“Nothing brings me more joy than to see young men achieve what they’re trying to achieve. Hopefully, next year with the Pirates I can play a part in helping this really talented group of pitchers and helping this team get into the playoffs,” Strom told MLB.com in December.
Skenes made his major-league debut on May 11, 2024, so 2025 will be his first full season if he can stay healthy.
“I’m going to be ready to throw 240 innings,” said Skenes. “It’s not going to be 160 innings again. I know that. It’s gonna be much more, ‘Take the ball and pitch.'”
Skenes was on a loose pitch count last season, surpassing the 100 count in a few of his starts. Even when he was rolling, the arm was priceless and the Pirates played it safe and pulled him. This year, he plans on going deeper into games and expects the Pirates to be on board.
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If Strom can help Skenes master his splinker — his putaway pitch to complement a 100 mph fastball — it will be unfair to every batter he faces.