Paul Skenes’ workload is drawing chatter, but the Pirates’ bigger issues come from the team around him

The Pittsburgh Pirates got back to an even win-loss record after a victory, but the night did not erase what has felt like a larger problem for much of the stretch leading up to it. According to Yahoo Sports, the Pirates had officially reached.500 for the first time since March 1 before slipping back into what the report describes as the middle of a “bad slump of games.” That context matters because it frames the biggest concern for fans right now, it is not one outing, it is consistency over multiple series.

Amid that downturn, a disproportionate share of attention has focused on Paul Skenes, the Pirates’ high-profile starting pitcher. Yahoo Sports notes that Skenes has thrown 103 pitches or more in each of his last four starts, a workload level that can influence how fans and analysts interpret both effectiveness and durability, even when a pitcher’s raw talent remains unquestioned. The same report also points to online chatter suggesting Skenes “isn’t playing as well” and “may already be slipping as a pro.”

But the report’s central argument is that the Pirates’ immediate challenges should not be reduced to Skenes’ performance alone. When a team moves through a slump, the causes typically live across the roster, including run production, bullpen depth, defensive execution, and how reliably the lineup turns early baserunners into runs. In other words, even strong starting pitching can be overpowered if the team cannot sustain scoring or close games consistently after the starter exits.

This is where the pitching-workload detail becomes a double-edged storyline. On one hand, 100-plus pitch counts in four straight starts are the kind of figure that encourages legitimate questions about managing effort over time. On the other hand, workload itself does not automatically equal decline. Pitch counts can rise for multiple reasons, such as longer at-bats due to pitch-to-contact strategy, command that leads to extended innings, or lineups that require starters to shoulder a larger share of innings during teamwide struggles.

For Pirates fans, the difference between “worry about a pitcher” and “worry about the team” may be the most important distinction. Yahoo Sports frames Skenes as a known quantity in the sense that his season has “been far from perfect,” yet it argues there are “way bigger problems” to focus on. That aligns with the reality that fan patience in MLB usually hinges on whether the club can correct its broader patterns, not just whether one starter experiences a dip between peaks.

The practical watch list going forward is straightforward. First, how Pittsburgh responds after reaching.500, whether the win over the prior night is a sign of improvement or merely a brief pause. Second, whether Skenes’ pitch counts trend down or remain elevated as the season continues. Third, whether the rest of the staff and the offense can produce enough to turn close games in Pittsburgh’s favor, particularly if starters are asked to carry heavier innings during the next stretch.

In the near term, the biggest value of the current debate may be that it could help refocus conversations where they belong. If Skenes’ workload stays high, it is reasonable to monitor it closely, but if the offense and the bullpen are not matching the starter’s effort, the Pirates’ slump will continue regardless of any one headline-grabbing performance.

At the same time, the Pirates should not ignore the human factor behind pitch counts. Even when fans debate “slipping,” the reality is MLB seasons are long and taxing. The team’s management choices, the bullpen’s readiness, and how the lineup supports starts will determine whether Skenes’ workload becomes a manageable part of the plan or a warning sign for the broader season arc.