Pirates electric pitching duo showcases potential against the Cubs
Over the weekend, all eyes in the baseball world were on PNC Park as Jared Jones and Paul Skenes pitched back-to-back for the first time in the majors. The talented duo is expected to anchor the Pirates' rotation for years to come, with fastballs that can reach 100 miles per hour and secondary pitches that leave batters shaking their heads. Against the Cubs, they did not disappoint.
On Friday night, rookie sensation Jared Jones took the mound against the Cubs for the first time. The California native didn't have his best stuff but only allowed two earned runs in six innings of work. He also added four strikeouts to his resume, giving him 14 this month. It was a solid appetizer for what would was in store less than 24 hours later.
With the Pirates needing a win, Skenes made his MLB debut on Saturday in one of the most anticipated starts in recent memory. Less than a year after being drafted, the former first-overall pick took the mound in Pittsburgh in front of a crowd of over 32,000.
After the ovations subsided, Skenes started his MLB career by striking out Mike Tauchman on six pitches. The Cubs' next batter, Seiya Suzuki, also struck out swinging on an 84 mph slider. While Skenes walked the next batter he faced, he got out of the inning unscathed.
Skenes would only pitch three more innings but flashed the stuff that has made him the best pitching prospect in a generation. He lit up the radar gun with 100-mile-per-hour fastballs all afternoon. His off-speed stuff kept Cubs batters off balance and helped him get out of trouble.
Although Jones and Skenes did not record a win, there was a level of excitement at PNC Park that had not seen for years. If the Pirates starters can reach their potential, then they could be one of the best duos in the majors for years to come. That is not something the Pirates have had in a while.
Against one of the best teams in the majors, the Pirates' young stars also showed that they could handle adversity. In his start, Jones recorded his second lowest strikeout total of the season but kept the Pirates in the game. Skenes allowed eight batters to reach and had to get out of a bases-loaded jam. When things got tough, they made the pitches they needed giving a Pirates offense that has struggled to score a chance.
With Jones and Skenes in the rotation the Pirates have a bright future and two of the most talented pitching prospects in the game.
