‘Such an easy thing to fix’: 3x All-Star pitcher takes aim at Paul Skenes’ technique amid struggles

Paul Skenes’ struggles have become one of the more concerning storylines surrounding the Pittsburgh Pirates this season, with the young ace unable to replicate the level of dominance he showed earlier in his career.

The Pirates star has gone from being viewed as a potential Cy Young contender to facing questions over his recent performances on the mound. While Skenes remains one of the most talented pitchers in baseball, his mechanics have become a point of concern.

Three-time All-Star pitcher Dan Plesac recently offered his assessment of Skenes’ struggles on MLB Network, pointing towards an issue in the pitcher’s delivery.

Plesac believes Skenes is becoming too rotational during his motion instead of maintaining a more controlled movement, which can cause his arm to fall out of sync with the rest of his body.

“At times he gets oftly quick; he gets more rotational this way (left) as opposed to up and down. And what happens why he’s struggling with the arm side; if you rotate and that hip and your shoulder start to come this way, the arm starts to drag behind,” Plesac said.

Plesac’s explanation suggests that Skenes may be opening up too early during his delivery. As his hips and shoulders rotate, his arm can be left trailing behind, making it harder for him to consistently direct his pitches.

That mechanical issue can also make it difficult for Skenes to maintain the command and movement that have made him such a difficult pitcher to face.

However, Plesac does not believe the problem is particularly complicated to correct. He feels a small adjustment to Skenes’ delivery could help the right-hander regain control of his mechanics.

“He’s throwing away from where he’s going,” Plesac said. “It’s such an easy thing to fix, it’s so minor, that if you just stay a touch longer closed instead of flying open early… and that way it’ll be easier for him to keep it on line, getting that ball in to a righty and away to a lefty.”

For Skenes, the assessment offers some encouragement amid a difficult stretch. Rather than requiring a major overhaul, Plesac believes the Pirates ace may only need a subtle adjustment to his delivery to get back on track.

Whether Skenes can make that correction and finish the season strongly will now be one of the key storylines to watch as the Pirates look to get the best out of their young star.

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