Paul Skenes’ start becomes must-see for ex-Pirates All-Star with MLB lifetime Pass
Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended a three-game losing skid after a dominant 10-3 win against the Washington Nationals in the series opener on Monday.
Skenes, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, delivered a strong performance from the mound on his third start of the season. The 22-year-old Pirates ace went six innings deep, conceding one earned run on three hits while striking out six.
His performance was watched by a special guest at the PNC Park as former Pittsburgh All-Star pitcher Jason Grilli was in the stands with his son for Monday's game. Grilli used his MLB Lifetime Pass to watch Skenes and shared his experience in an Instagram post.
"Used the lifetime pass and golden ticket today to watch Paul Skenes take the mound at PNC with my son," he wrote. "Moments like this hit different—baseball, legacy, and passing it on to the next generation."
MLB issues a Lifetime Pass to players who have played in the major league for eight years or more. The exclusive gold card allows free entry to any regular-season game at any stadium and the owner can have a guest with them. A front office member for 25 years also receives the gold card with the same perks.
Paul Skenes and Henry Davis make history in Pirates' win over Nationals
While Jason Grilli witnessed Paul Skenes claim his second win of the season, it was a historic night for the Pirates. Pittsburgh called backup catcher Henry Davis into action as Endy Rodriguez left the game in the first inning after sustaining a cut on his finger.
Davis, the top pick from 2021, caught six innings from Skenes, the first overall pick from 2023, becoming the first pitcher/catcher battery comprising first overall selections from the draft.
“Henry can call a game,” Skenes said. “He was prepared. It’s not a surprise. I’ve been with him for the better part of two years now. You want to see why he’s the type of player he is, you don’t have to look very far. For him to come into a tough situation, call the game and catch as well as he did says a lot about it.”
It was a much-needed win for both the Pirates and Paul Skenes as the young ace had one of his most sluggish performances of his young career in his last outing from the mound.