Pirates Pitchers vs Cardinals Revealed
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have some of the best starting pitchers in baseball and they'll feature in the upcoming series at home against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Pirates will start right-handed pitchers Mitch Keller on Monday and then rookie Paul Skenes on Tuesday for the first two games of the series against the Cardinals, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Left-handed pitcher Martin Perez will likely start on the series finale on Wednesday, as he started Friday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.
It’ll be Mitch Keller Monday, Paul Skenes Tuesday.
— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) July 20, 2024
Keller has had a solid 2024 season so far, 10-5 overall in 18 starts, a 3.46 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 114.1 innings pitched, 105 strikeouts to just 30 walks and 11 home runs allowed. He leads the Pirates with innings pitched and strikeouts.
He came out of his last start against the Chicago White Sox back on July 13 after just 57 pitches, allowing four hits, two earned runs, three walks and a home run, while striking out three batters.
His departure from the White Sox game reportedly was not due to an injury and this confirms he is good to go following the All-Star break.
The Pirates drafted Skenes No. 1 overall out of LSU in 2023 and brought him up in May, where he's performed as one of the best pitchers in baseball.
He has a 6-0 record in 11 starts, 1.90 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 66.1 innings pitched, 89 strikeouts to just 13 walks, a 6.8 K/BB and just 14 earned runs.
Skenes also started for the National League in the All-Star game this week. He had a great first inning for the National League, forcing Cleveland Guadians left fielder Steven Kwan to pop out to the infield, and Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson to hit a weak ball back to him for an easy ground out.
New York Yankees shortstop Juan Soto walked on a full count, but Skenes forced Yankees centerfielder Aaron Judge to ground out and end the inning unscathed.
Skenes is the first member of the Pirates to start for the National League in the All-Star Game since Jerry Reuss did it in 1975, 49 years ago. He is also just the fifth rookie to start an All-Star game, with Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers doing so in 1995, en route to winning NL Rookie of the Year.
The Pirates need their starting ptichers to perform if they want to make a run at the National League Wild Card. Skenes and Keller will have to perform like they've done this season, against their divisional rivals, if they want to achieve that goal of making the playoffs.
DOMINIC CAMPBELL