​PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 19: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks to the bullpen to warm up before the game against the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park on August 19, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) GettyThe Pittsburgh Pirates hit the lottery when they drafted Paul Skenes back in 2023. He quickly made his way up to the big leagues in 2024. The dominant pitcher won National League Rookie of the Year honors. Then, he added a Cy Young Award to his accolades in 2025.This incredible start to his professional career led to high expectations, and rightfully so. Despite those, he performed well below his standards throughout the 2026 campaign. A record of 10-11 and 3.91 ERA has fans concerned. The pitcher’s velocity has not been what it once was, so the Pirates as an organization might be worried.Pirates Hear Skenes Admit To World Baseball Classic MistakePart of inconsistencies from the Pirates’ ace could be due to Skenes’ spring training regiment. He performed for the United States in the World Baseball Classic (WBC), which could warrant criticism.In a recent interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Skenes told reporter Colin Beazley that the pre-season process did affect his year.“There are a lot of other factors, so I don’t want to put everything on that,” Skenes told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “But I feel like that was kind of the root of it a little bit.”This is an important admission from Skenes. Athletes are creatures of habit, and his ramp up as the season neared was not typical for him. He spoke about this process with Beazley.“Usually, that time of year, you’re kind of ramping up and it’s a little bit slow. You can kind of get onto the slope and find your body,” Skenes said, per Beazley. “One live [batting practice], you’re topping at 97 [mph], and then the next you’re 98, 99. And that wasn’t the case this year… Looking back, I don’t think that really helped.”It’s always good to reflect on why something may, or may not, have worked. It appears as if the Pirates and Skenes learned a crucial lesson in 2026. While his ERA may not be horrible in the grand scheme of things, it surely is much higher than what he expects.Skenes Knows World Baseball Classic Schedule Hurt HimNow that the Pirates are out of playoff contention and Skenes can look back, he understands all of the proper decisions may not have been made. Beazley reported that the pitcher has had the chance to review his appearance in the WBC.“When you go outing to outing, you don’t really see the big picture sometimes,” Skenes said. “I think looking back, I can kind of see it now. Because early in the season, you can get away with stuff mechanically or you might not be moving perfectly, but you’re fresh and the velo is there because you’re feeling good.”It’s safe to say that Skenes may have not been feeling all that well throughout the summer months. Even though he gutted out sev