“Torpedo Pants” - Fans react to Paul Skenes’ teammate turning heads with an intriguing choice of style

The Pittsburgh Pirates faced the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, marking their series finale. Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes had a solid outing, pitching seven innings, allowing only one run on three hits and striking out six.

After Skenes, Colin Holderman and Ryan Borucki combined to pitch the eighth inning, followed by Dennis Santana, who closed out the ninth without allowing a run, though he issued one walk. The Pirates' pitching staff allowed just four hits and one earned run while recording eight strikeouts and two walks, helping their team secure a 4-2 victory over the Rays.

However, beyond the Pirates' strong pitching performance, what caught fans' attention was Santana’s unique pants style. He wore gray Pirates pants folded up from the quads, revealing black leggings that covered his thighs.

The look sparked reactions from baseball fans, with some saying:

“Torpedo Pants,” a fan said.

“You absolutely cannot call those pants. This man has shorts on,” another fan said.

“Nothing new. They’re all around the league; India, Santana, Odor, etc. I prefer the look of the pants just below the knee look, but it’s far better than the baggy pants look,” another fan said.

Many other fans joined the conversation, mentioning Carlos Santana, who has sported a similar style for years.

“I guess y'all have missed Carlos Santana, who's been wearing that style, for years,” someone said.

“Carlos Santana has been doing this for YEARS,” another said.

“Wait until you find out there’s another Santana who has been doing this for over a decade,” another wrote.

Dennis Santana opens up about the veteran who helped him become Pirate’s solid closer

Last year, Dennis Santana had a rough start to the season with the New York Yankees, posting a 6.26 ERA in 23 appearances before being designated for assignment in June. The Pirates picked him and helped him develop into a reliable late-inning pitcher.

One player who played a significant role in his transformation was veteran pitcher Aroldis Chapman. Speaking about Chapman’s influence, Santana said (via MLB):

“I bet he’s seen a lot of talent like me, not just with the Pirates, but the places he’s been before. He [can] take me under his wing, teach me everything, and sometimes we meet people who see what we can do. He was there for me and was like, ‘You gotta do things this way or this way.’ I thank him a lot.”

Santana finished his 2024 season with the Pirates posting a 2.44 ERA in 39 games. The Pittsburgh Pirates are now set to face the New York Yankees at PNC Park in their series opener.