Pirates manager gives verdict on Paul Skenes' performance vs Dodgers

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton had the best seat in the stadium to watch ace Paul Skenes go through the LA Dodgers' star-studded lineup at Dodger Stadium last week.

The reigning NL Rookie of the Year went through the Dodgers' lineup and some during his 6.1 scoreless innings, where he allowed five hits and struck out nine without walking any. Skenes received good completion from the other half inning from Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who allowed one earned run in five innings.

Days after the Pirates won 3-0, Shelton shared his thoughts on the iconic matchup and Skenes living up to the high standards he has set himself after being drafted No. 1 two years ago.

"Yeah, really fun," Shelton said on MLB Network. "I mean, we went in there and — I mean, we saw Yamamoto that day for the first time. It was a really good game, in a great atmosphere, and very cool for Paul specifically, just because he's from that area. So it's going home and playing a game with a lot of people there. I think he had like 35 people there — so that's fun.

"And then, you know, ultimately, you're playing the world champions. You're playing one of the best lineups in baseball. And I was really pleased with how we played that night," he added.

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Dodgers manager praises Paul Skenes but reserves best NL pitcher for Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also watched Paul Skenes dominating on the mound against some of baseball's best hitters, including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

After the game, Roberts credited Skenes for having elite stuff as he highlighted what went wrong in the shutout loss.

"Not to take any credit away from Skenes, because he still was very good," Roberts said via MLB.com. "I think that it's hard to hit guys that good when you're chasing the hitting zone vs. locking in on your own area. I thought tonight, as well as days preceding, we just are not as disciplined as we need to be in certain areas of the hitting zone."

When asked who he thinks is the best pitcher in the NL, Roberts picked his ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto over Skenes.

"There's a lot of time, but I do think that right now, [Yamamoto's] the best pitcher in the National League," Roberts said. "Now, Skenes is pretty good, too, so no disrespect."

Both players are in their second years in the majors and will likely be in contention for the NL Cy Young award.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Veer Badani