The Pittsburgh Pirates missed the postseason for a ninth straight season in 2024 after finishing with a record of 76-86 and coming in last in the National League Central.
It was another disappointing season for the Pirates, but this offseason they made a couple of notable acquisitions to help the team in 2025.
The Pirates acquired first baseman Spencer Horwitz, outfielder Tommy Pham and second baseman Adam Frazier to assist the offense.
While the offense may improve, the starting rotation could be a strength of the team as Paul Skenes returns for his second season.
Former MLB pitcher Ron Darling recently compared Skenes to his former New York Mets teammate Dwight Gooden.
“I was lucky enough to play with Dwight Gooden, and he had a breakout rookie season, one of the best in the history of the game, and he followed that up his second year with a Cy Young. I don’t feel any different about this young man,” Darling said, via MLB Network.
Ron Darling on Paul Skenes:
"I was lucky enough to play with Dwight Gooden, he had a breakout rookie season and followed it up his second year with a Cy Young…I don't feel any differently about this young man." pic.twitter.com/2n1OtL1y83
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 17, 2025
Skenes’ rookie campaign consisted of 23 starts and he was 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 133.0 innings pitched.
He started the All-Star Game for the National League, and Darling appears to believe he has a chance at the NL Cy Young Award in 2025 after finishing third in the voting last season.
The Pirates hope to see Skenes take another step in the right direction as the team tries to get back to a competitive level and earn a postseason spot.
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