Paul Skenes is almost certainly finished pitching in front of the home crowd at PNC Park this season, according to Pirates management. His most recent start against the Chicago Cubs likely marked his final appearance at home for the year. SI
Rough Night in What Could Be His Final Home Show
Skenes took the mound vs. the Cubs on Sept. 16 and allowed seven hits, three walks, a home run, and three earned runs over just 3.2 innings. He struck out six in the outing, throwing 92 pitches, as the Pirates fell 4-1. SI
That performance tied a career high in hits allowed in a start, matching previous outings vs. Cincinnati (Aug. 7) and Boston (Aug. 29). It was also one of his shortest starts this season. SI
Manager Confirms No More Home Starts
Pirates manager Don Kelly indicated before the game that Skenes would likely not make one more home start – specifically for the final home game on Sept. 21 vs. the Athletics – due to rest scheduling and giving other pitchers time on the mound. “I don’t think that’s the plan right now,” Kelly said. SI
Instead, Skenes is lined up for road starts. He is expected to start on the road against the Cincinnati Reds in the Sept. 23-25 series and potentially against the Atlanta Braves in the final series (Sept. 26-28). SI
Stellar Home Performance this Year
Despite the rough outing, Skenes has been dominant at home in 2025. In 15 starts at PNC Park, he is 6-5 with an impressive 1.77 ERA over 91.1 innings. He’s struck out 99 while walking 18, holding opponents to a .195 batting average and a 0.90 WHIP. SI
Some highlights: seven shutout starts, three games allowing just one earned run, and two starts with two earned runs. SI
Parting Words
After the Cubs game, Skenes expressed disappointment in his performance but gratitude toward the fans. As he exited in the top of the fourth inning, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. “They’ve been here all year, supported us through it. Not the way you want to finish, but always good to feel the support from the fans,” he said. SI
Conclusion:
While Paul Skenes’ last PNC Park outing for the season wasn’t his strongest, his home-record cements him as one of the Pirates’ most effective starters this year. With the focus now shifting to road starts, he’ll look to carry that dominance away from Pittsburgh too.
