Paul Skenes acknowledged that 2026 fell short of his impossibly high standards, finishing with a 3.82 ERA and 10-11 record. Despite the struggles, the Pittsburgh Pirates ace emphasized the season wasn't a failure. Skenes rewarded manager Don Kelly's trust with a dominant final performance, striking out Leo Bernal on a 95 mph sinker during Pittsburgh's final home game. The Pirates set franchise records for home runs and strikeouts, but endured significant injuries to Konnor Griffin and Oneil Cruz, while blowing 25 save opportunities. Skenes made 32 consecutive starts, becoming only the second pitcher in franchise history to fan 200 batters in back-to-back seasons, joining Bob Veale. He addressed the media regarding the collective bargaining negotiation, noting he was tired of hearing about next year but felt the team was in a good position moving forward.

The most important number to Skenes wasn't his four-seam fastball velocity, which dipped from 98.2 mph to 96.8 mph, but his durability. Heurized content.