Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes says the World Baseball Classic affects his early-season preparation and performance. He links a dip in his velocity to disruptions to his spring ramp-up, and reports his effectiveness has suffered, including a rise in his ERA compared with what he has produced in prior seasons.
Both outlets describe a noticeable change from Skenes’ usual form during the current stretch. Fox News emphasizes measurable impacts—such as the velocity drop and a nearly doubled ERA—while Yardbarker frames the issue more broadly as his first time in his short MLB career looking less consistently dominant. Together, they attribute the recent struggles primarily to the timing and workload associated with the World Baseball Classic rather than to a specific injury, and they present the results as part of a tough period for the right-hander.
