Mark Madden: What are Pirates saving Paul Skenes for?

Paul Skenes is pitching great: He’s got an ERA of 1.94, second-best in MLB.

But he isn’t pitching much.

What are the Pittsburgh Pirates saving Skenes for?

In his past three starts, he’s thrown just 14 innings. He’s averaged only 81 pitches.

Is that what Skenes and his agent want?

Is that what future employers like the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers want?

Are the Pirates saving Skenes for next season, when they still won’t spend enough to properly support him?

Is the MLB All-Star Game on July 15 in Atlanta a factor? Making sure Skenes is rested so he can pitch and likely start for the National League?

If that’s the case, why is it important for Skenes to pitch one inning against Detroit ace Tarik Skubal in a noncompetitive game when nobody felt it worthwhile for them to go head-to-head in a real game when the opportunity arose during the Pirates’ mid-June visit to Detroit?

Skenes is presumably concerned that the Pirates don’t hit when he pitches.

Manager Don Kelly is definitely upset that the Pirates didn’t hit at all when they got swept three games in Seattle.

The Pirates scored 43 runs during their six-game win streak: 42 runs total in five of those games, just one run when Skenes pitched.

The Pirates have plated just three runs total in Skenes’ last three starts, two runs or fewer in six of his last seven starts.

Skenes hasn’t won since May 28. He has two losses and five no-decisions since.

After the bats exploded during their six straight wins, the Pirates went to Seattle and got shut out three times. That hadn’t happened since 1888 when the team was called the Alleghenies. This right after the Pirates blanked St. Louis three straight games at PNC Park.

The Pirates got 12 hits total in that series at Seattle. No home runs and just one extra-base hit. They struck out 36 times.

Their tepid batting is no mystery. It’s more dumbfounding when the Pirates do hit.

It’s amazing Oneil Cruz can even find the bat rack. He’s hitting .177 (34 for 192) with 80 strikeouts since the beginning of May. He absolutely should be sent to Triple-A. Huge talent, small heart, no brain.

On the odd side, Ke’Bryan Hayes’ usually flaccid stick just put together a 12-game hitting streak with four multiple-hit games. His batting average is a lusty .243. Tommy Pham is on a 15-for-35 tear, hiking his average all the way to .237. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (.272 average) might be the Pirates’ best hitter, and he bats ninth.

Those performances are menial and minimal. But the Pirates rank last among MLB teams in home runs, second-last in runs and OPS. They’ll take what they can get.

The sweep at Seattle left the miracle of Donnieball (or is it Donnyball?) at 26-27, one game under .500. That’s somewhat shy of Jesus with the loaves and fishes.

Not much about the Pirates is difficult to decipher.

A few peaks mixed with many valleys is typical of a rotten team, even if the recent peak was extreme and made the usual suspects bleat that it was a turnaround.

The Pirates have bad offensive stats because their hitters stink. Simple as that.

But their use of Skenes is a mystery.

He’s arguably the top pitcher in MLB, on pace to be one of the best ever.

Skenes is the Pirates’ window.

But for a second straight year, ownership has failed to put a proper team around Skenes by way of bowing to the altar of thrift.

And Skenes is being deployed with kid gloves. No sign of arm discomfort or fatigue, yet gets yanked early. Dodging even the slightest risk seems the priority, with no reward beyond Skenes’ stats. (Full disclosure: This is a recent development. Skenes ranks fourth in MLB with 116 innings pitched. He threw five innings or fewer in just two of his first 20 starts. But his workload has decelerated. Why?)

Skenes is 4-7. As mentioned, he hasn’t been credited with a win since May 28.

He’s the best pitcher in baseball, but there’s little point to having him. He’s being wasted.