​Pirates Ace Paul Skenes Breaks Down ‘Interesting’ and ‘Weird’ First Half of 2026 MLB Season originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.To some, Paul Skenes is having an “off” year. But if you ask the Pirates’ ace, last year’s Cy Young winner believes the numbers don’t reflect the season he’s having.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHeading into the All-Star break, Skenes has accumulated a 3.57 ERA with an 8-8 record. Those numbers are different from the 1.97 ERA that earned him praise last season. However, the ERA doesn’t entirely make or break the performances he’s put on.The three-time All-Star recently reflected on his first-half numbers and broke down what makes this season an “interesting” and “weird” one for him.MORE:Livvy Dunne Faced Paul Skenes’ Fastball, and it Went How You’d Expect“It was a really interesting first half, because I don’t think I’ve thrown the ball poorly,” Skenes said via MLB.com. “But obviously some numbers look different.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“The strikeout rate is in a very good spot. The walk rate is in a good spot. Not giving up hard contact consistently. For whatever reason, the ERA is a little higher. Not something I’m losing any sleep over. It’s just been kind of a weird first half in that sense.”Skenes ended the first half of the season winning two straight, the first time he’s done that since May. He struck out 16 in three games and only walked four. Giving up eleven earned runs so far in July, Skenes’ ERA is at 6.46 this month. It was at 3.58 in June and 2.87 in May. Despite the jump in ERA, if you look close enough, some of Skenes’ stats from this year actually trump last season’s.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn 20 games, Skenes has struck out 10.8 batters per nine innings, a 0.4 higher rate than last year. Despite a high ERA of 3.57, he’s allowed the same amount of walks per nine innings (2.0) as last year.Per MLB.com, some of Skenes’ other stats include:Opponents are hitting .195 this year compared to .205 last year against Skenes’ four-seamer.Skenes’ hard-hit percentage of 37.4% represents a career low.Meanwhile, Skenes’ average velocity is 96.6, down from 98.2 last year. The results are still there, which doesn’t bother Skenes.“I don’t think velocity is something I need to pitch well,” Skenes said. “I think it’s probably the first time in my career the velo has kinda dipped. It’s not something that I’m stressed over at all. I’m healthy. I’m feeling good and still pitching at a high level.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAt the moment, Skenes would grade himself a “B.”As things stand, the Pirates, 50-47, are two games out of a Wild Card spot.The club has posted an MLB-best .263 team batting average in the first half, the second-best on-base percentage (.342) and third-best slugging percentage (.426). They are fourth