The Windup Newsletter ⚾ | This is The Athletic’s MLB newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Windup directly in your inbox.I have no idea what’s wrong with Paul Skenes, but it sure doesn’t seem like the answer is “nothing.”Plus: The Angels keep making moves, Jose Cuas makes a memorable delivery and Tyler Kepner was there for Cal Raleigh’s blunt assessment of himself and the Mariners.I’m Levi Weaver — welcome to The Windup!What’s going on with Skenes?In Tuesday’s Power Rankings, we identified ways that each team could feel good about their second half. My Pirates entry included this:Skenes’ average fastball velocity has gone from 98.8 (2024) to 98.2 (2025) and was all the way down to 96.5 in July. So far in August, it has crept back up to 97.1, so maybe that’s a good sign?
Reader, it was not a good sign.Here’s the pitch velocity list from last night’s Pirates-Marlins game. Skenes’ fastest pitch of the night was just 96.5 mph — the 75th-fastest pitch of the game, and the worst mark of his career by nearly a full mph. I combed over all 80 of Skenes’ career starts, and the trend has become undeniable:
2024: Hit 100 mph in all but five of his 23 starts. An even 100 pitches hit triple digits.
