The Dodgers and the Cubs started the 2025 season in Tokyo. However, for 26 other teams, they will take action on March 27. Very soon, Paul Skenes will make his first opening day start.
Paul Skenes was selected by the Pirates in the first round of the 2023 draft. Last year, he made it into the big leagues and he didn’t let the Pirates fans down. He made 23 starts, posting a 1.96 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP over 133 innings. Additionally, he punched out 170 batters. With little doubt, Skenes won the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year award.
While seeing that Skenes is ready to make the opening day start, I was just thinking about the Pirates opening day starters over the last 10 seasons.
Back in 2015, Francisco Liriano was the starter for the Pirates on the opening day. He tossed 7 innings and allowed only 2 runs. Additionally, he threw 7 strikeouts. Moreover, in 2016, the opening day starter was Liriano as well. He threw 6 innings and didn’t give up any runs. He struck out 10 batters, but allowed 5 walks. Those 5 walks didn’t become serious problems and Liriano got the first win of the season.
In 2017, Gerrit Cole made the opening day start for the Pirates. However, he didn’t pitch well, giving up 5 runs in 5 innings. Cole took a loss on the 2017 opening day. The next season, Ivan Nova was the starting pitcher on the opening day. Nova tossed 5 innings, giving up 2 runs. In 2019, Jameson Taillon took the mound for the Pirates on opening day, but he didn’t pitch very well. Taillon allowed 4 runs over 6 innings and he took a loss.
In 2020, Joe Musgrove was the starter for the Pirates on opening day. Musgrove threw 5.2 innings and gave up 3 runs. He struck out 7 batters, but he took a loss. In the 2021 season, the Pirates chose Chad Kuhl to start on the opening day. Nonetheless, he only tossed 3 innings. Kuhl allowed 2 runs (1 earned). In 2022, JT Brubaker started for the Pirates on opening day. He threw 3 innings, giving up 4 runs. It wasn’t a good start and he took a loss.
Finally, over the last 2 seasons, Mitch Keller was named the opening day starter for the Pirates. In 2023, he gave up 4 runs over 4.2 innings. He struck out 8 batters, but allowed 4 walks. Last year, he tossed 5.2 innings, giving up 5 runs (4 earned).
Looking back at the last 10 seasons, Francisco Liriano’s outing on the 2016 opening day was probably the best one among the Pirates starters. With Paul Skenes being ready to take the mound for the Pirates, it will be very interesting to see whether he will pitch well on the opening day. He had a good start in 2024. In the 2025 season, will the Pirates fans see Paul Skenes become an elite pitcher in the majors? Perhaps, this start will mark the new generation of the Pirates?
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