Paul Skenes reveals his biggest motivation entering 2nd season with Pirates after dominant rookie campaign

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes had a dominant rookie campaign which saw him go 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA en route to winning the NL Rookie of the Year and earning some NL Cy Young votes as well.

Heading into the 2025 season, Skenes is focused on winning. Last year, the Pirates were one of the worst teams in the NL posting a 76-86 record, finishing bottom in a weak NL Central division.

The young ace spoke about his mindset on MLB Network Radio, entering the new season, highlighting the team's improved commitment to have a better year than 2024.

"On the pitching side, obviously, we have the stuff. And on the hitting side, we have a couple of All-Stars and a really good opportunity to build this thing from within," Skenes said. "But I think the thing that fires me up most this year is that we have a lot of buy-in. It just feels different."

While every team starts spring training with optimism, Skenes noted that hope alone isn’t enough.

"I think all 30 clubs are probably showing up to spring training with hope. But hope doesn’t win ballgames," he added.

He also pointed out a noticeable shift in the clubhouse environment compared to last year.

"What’s exciting now is seeing the differences in the locker room from last year. At the end of the day, we’ve got to go out there and do it. We have to go out there, prove it, win, and show up every day."

Paul Skenes continues where he left off in spring training debut

Apart from his major league debut game, there have rarely been any games where Paul Skenes has not registered a quality start. After a dominant finish in 2024. Skenes didn't show any signs of decline in his Spring Training debut against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.

In the team's 5-2 win, Skenes threw three innings, giving up one run on four hits and one walk while recording four strikeouts.

The Pirates lacked consistency last year but are looking to take the next step with Skenes leading the charge in 2025. The pitcher has also added a cutter to his pitching arsenal, raising expectations of Pirates fans heading into the new season.