Paul Skenes rocks skull and crossbones tie for historic Opening Day start with Pirates against Marlins

Modified Mar 27, 2025 19:02 GMT

MLB: Pittsburgh Pirates-Media Day - Source: Imagn

Paul Skenes will be on the mound on Thursday when the Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Miami Marlins for Opening Day of the 2025 season. This will be a historic day for Skenes as he will be starting on Opening Day for the first time in his career.

The reigning National League Rookie of the Year was surprised when given the Opening Day nod despite being one of the best young pitchers in baseball. Skenes showed up to the stadium rocking a unique outfit, and it was captured on social media.

"Paul Skenes is wearing a skull and crossbones tie for his #OpeningDay start 👀", @MLB captioned the post

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Major League Baseball captured Paul Skenes arriving in Miami wearing a suit, but his tie caught the most attention. The tie for Skenes featured skulls and crossbones that matched perfectly with his grey suit.

Despite being a young pitcher, Skenes is known for being extremely serious, especially on days when he is scheduled to pitch. In 2024, Skenes was called up to the Major Leagues early in the season and finished the year with an 11-3 record to go along with a 1.96 ERA.

Pittsburgh failed to make it to the postseason in his rookie year, but the Pirates are hoping that Skenes will help lead them back to the MLB playoffs.

Paul Skenes received advice from former Pirates ace Gerrit Cole

Paul Skenes might be the current ace of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but that title used to belong to Gerrit Cole. The former ace is now with the New York Yankees, but he had a chance to talk with Skenes and gave him some advice on his career.

On March 5, Cole said on the "Casa de Klub" podcast, hosted by former 2x Cy Young winner Corey Kluber:

"I've spoken to him a couple of times, and I've offered him some advice—some he's sought out in certain areas," Cole said (22:05). "Look, there's not a lot of advice I could give a guy like him. I mean, he's a really bright dude, and he has a ton of discipline. ... He is a stand-up guy, as far as I can tell. I've only met him a few times, but I've been blown away.

"So, I just tried to let him know that I’m a fan of his, I’m an advocate for him, and if he ever needs anything, he can reach out. I just pushed him to make sure he takes ownership of what he's doing. But, honestly, I really think that quality is already there."

Paul Skenes will look to get his 2025 season off to a great start on Opening Day, and the Pirates hope to contend throughout the year.

About the author

Ryan Burks is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda with over 7 years of experience in the field, writing for publications such as Knup Sports. Ryan graduated from Elmhurst College in 2009 with a degree in Communications.

Ryan is a huge Chicago Cubs fan and enjoys their storied history and traditions. His favorite sporting moment was when the Cubs won the 2016 World Series, breaking a championship drought that dated back to 1908.

His favorite player was Ken Griffey Jr., as Ryan grew up during his prime and he was the coolest player in league history. Greg Maddux also deserves a mention, as he was truly amazing on the mound.

When not working or watching sports, Ryan coaches basketball and baseball, loves fishing, and spends time with his family.

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Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.