Tim Benz: For Paul Skenes, playing the 'stopper' role means something a little different in Pittsburgh these days

After Paul Skenes’ six innings of shutout pitching Monday, Major League Baseball posted a photo of the Pittsburgh Pirates ace with a note about his 1.38 ERA over his past 13 starts.

Whoever it was from MLB’s social media department that put the graphic together, I’m sure they were well-intended.

Paul Skenes has 1.38 ERA over his last 13 starts ???? pic.twitter.com/ieDTdKlegu

— MLB (@MLB) July 22, 2025

Unfortunately, there were many members of the Pirates’ irritated fanbase in no mood to celebrate anything these days.

Don’t worry. Our bullpen still has 2 innings to blow it

— The Jolly Roger ???????? (@LosPiratas21) July 22, 2025

Why hasn't a Major League team signed him ?

— Slappy McGee71 (@gmaster12141969) July 22, 2025

4-8 record with a 2.00 era ????

— CeaseIsKing (@CeaseIsKing) July 22, 2025

And they still can’t win

— Top Striker (@TopStriker1974) July 22, 2025

With a 1-4 record!

— Chuck (@ChuckSportsApp) July 22, 2025

Following their embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Chicago White Sox to open the second half of the season, that cynicism is warranted.

But at least on this day, the Pirates pulled it together and finally got Skenes (5-8) a win for the first time since May 28. That’s a stat just as eye-popping as the one MLB put together for the National League Cy Young candidate.

“I thought it was pretty good. There was still stuff to get better at, but I was happy with it,” Skenes said of his 22nd start of the year.

Monday’s 3-0 win over the Detroit Tigers represented Skenes’ fifth start since the end of May in which he has left without allowing an earned run, yet this is the first time he has personally gotten a win to show for it.

Such is life being an ace on a team as bad as the Pirates.

“We did a good job,” Skenes said on SportsNet Pittsburgh after the game. “At the end of the day, it’s a shutout. It’s our 11th shutout of the year. That’s pretty good.”

Paul Skenes on how he felt about his four-seamer tonight (10 whiffs)

"I'm fire up about that." pic.twitter.com/AL1FdbUoSe

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) July 22, 2025

To Skenes’ point, only the San Diego Padres pitching staff has more shutouts (14) than the Pirates. And all those zeroes posted by Skenes and relievers Braxton Ashcraft, Dennis Santana and David Bednar were necessary as the Pirates failed to score in every inning aside from the three-spot they posted in the second.

Fortunately, with six strikeouts, no walks and just three hits allowed, Skenes made that stand up until he handed things over to a bullpen he quickly praised.

“Braxton came in and did a really good job, Dennis, and (Bednar). I was happy with it. But I know they were happy with it too,” Skenes added.

Indeed, the bullpen was worthy of applause, but Skenes lived up to the term “stopper” in the most specific way possible Monday. He stopped a losing streak that really could’ve gotten out of hand to open the post-All-Star-Break slate of games.

Not to mention with the trade deadline looming, who knows how the roster may be picked apart.

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But Skenes lived up to the task of plugging the hole in the dam as it was about to burst after dropping three straight games to a pathetic White Sox team via a combined score of 27-7 to begin the second half.

As is often the case, for at least five innings a week — or six if we are super lucky like on Monday (don’t get me started on Skenes’ load management again) — we can shelve the “Sell The Team!” chants at PNC Park.

There are more opportunities to cheer and fewer opportunities to boo. Planes are less inclined to fly overhead with incendiary messages directed at franchise management and ownership.

Although if the team had blown that 3-0 lead after Skenes left the game, you can be sure that rancor would’ve been voiced again in full throat by whatever fans remained in the stands.

Yes, that’s the role of stopper Skenes has to play in Pittsburgh. Not just stopping losing streaks, but stopping constant bad vibes. Stopping fan animosity. Stopping waves of negativity surrounding the whole organization and its place in the city.

That’s a lot for a 23-year-old to handle in just his second Major League season. To his credit, Skenes has done so with remarkable consistency.

It’s a different kind of pressure to be a “stopper” under these circumstances. To have that title on a playoff contender means the ability to go out once every fifth day and make sure the rudder stays straight for a club trying to make the playoffs, even if the ship has gotten off-course.

For Skenes, it feels like his job is to make sure the entire boat doesn’t sink to the bottom of the Allegheny every time he pitches. Let’s see how much water it takes on before his next outing.

And let’s enjoy watching him bail it out yet again.