Paul Skenes Cites World Baseball Classic as Source of 2026 Velocity Decline

Pirates ace Paul Skenes saw his average fastball velocity drop to 96.8 mph this season, down from 98.8 mph in 2024.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes holds a 10-11 record with a 3.91 ERA and 192 strikeouts through 168 innings across 31 starts in 2026. The three-time All-Star told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that his participation in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) was the "root" of a significant dip in his pitching velocity this year. Skenes’ average fastball velocity fell to 96.8 mph this season, a decline from 98.1 mph in 2025 and 98.8 mph during his 2024 Rookie of the Year campaign.

Specific game data highlights the downward trend, as Skenes recorded a career-low four-seam fastball average of 95.7 mph during a start against the Miami Marlins last month. In his most recent outing on Friday against the Kansas City Royals, his fastball averaged 96.1 mph. These figures contrast sharply with his 2025 performance, where he led the major leagues with a 1.97 ERA and won the National League Cy Young Award.

Skenes noted that the early-March tournament disrupted his typical spring ramp-up routine, preventing him from finding his delivery and body mechanics as he usually would during live batting practice. Although he maintained a 1.09 ERA during an eight-start stretch in April and May, the 24-year-old admitted he did not feel 100% mechanically sound even during that period of success. While he expressed no regret regarding representing Team USA, he stated the WBC definitely affected his season and made his annual progression more difficult. Skenes expects to resolve these mechanical issues prior to the 2027 season.