Paul Skenes Reveals How Many Starts He'll Make in World Baseball Classic

Skenes expects to take on a bigger workload for Team USA than his fellow rotation mate Tarik Skubal.

Skenes will be pitching in the World Baseball Classic for the first time in his career. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal created a bit of a stir when he told reporters he'd be making just one start for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Fortunately for Team USA, fellow ace Paul Skenes on Tuesday told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal that he is expecting to make two starts in the WBC.

“We win, we go as far as we should, I'll pitch again in the tournament,” Skenes said.

The Pirates ace also told Rosenthal that he'll pitch in one of two exhibitions Team USA is playing in next week, either Tuesday's game against the Giants or Wednesday's game against the Rockies.

Essentially, this means that Skenes's first start in the WBC will come at some point during Team USA's pool play, which consists of games on March 6 against Brazil, March 7 against Great Britain, March 9 against Mexico and March 10 against Italy. As Skenes alluded to, his second start would then come in the knockout portion of the WBC, be it in the quarterfinals, or—provided Team USA advances this far—in the semifinals or final.

This provides Team USA manager Mark DeRosa with the opportunity to perhaps save Skenes's second start until Team USA gets deeper into the tournament, a juncture at which their need for the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner could be greater.

In addition to Skubal and Skenes, Team USA's starting rotation also consists of Logan Webb, who also told Rosenthal he'd be making two starts in the WBC, Joe Ryan, Matthew Boyd, Clay Holmes and Nolan McLean.

Team USA is vying to win the WBC for the first time since 2017.

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