Paul Skenes Says World Baseball Classic Disrupted His Buildup, Led to Velocity Drop

Paul Skenes says the World Baseball Classic interrupted his usual spring training buildup, making it harder to ramp up his velocity the way he normally does. His fastball averaged 96.8 mph this season, down from 98.2 mph last year and 98.9 mph the year before, with more pitches clocking in at 95 and 96 instead of 98 and 99. The 24-year-old Pirates pitcher posted a 3.91 ERA in 168 innings and still ranks 14th among all pitchers in WAR. Skenes is headed toward his first year of arbitration eligibility before becoming a free agent after 2029.