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Fans in disbelief after Paul Skenes’ quick exit on Opening Day
by Matt Wadleigh
The first start of the season for Pittsburgh Pirates star and reigning National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes was an absolute nightmare.
Skenes and the Pirates faced the New York Mets at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y., and the Pirates jumped out to a 2-0 lead courtesy of a Brandon Lowe home run.
However, things unraveled for Skenes, and he went just 0.2 innings, giving up five runs on four hits with two walks before being removed from the game.
That's it for Paul Skenes. He gets a mock standing ovation as the Mets chase him from Opening Day in the first inning.
The reigning NL Cy Young award winner threw 37 pitches, allowed five earned runs, is responsible for two additional baserunners and recorded just two outs.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 26, 2026
Skenes went 10-10 with a 1.97 ERA in 32 games for the Pirates in 2025 en route to an NL Cy Young award, and everyone expected Skenes to begin on a high note.
So, Skenes not even lasting one inning is a massive surprise, and fans had plenty of reactions after the quick hook.
He does not….37 pitches, 2 outs, 5 runs, with two on.
That's just stunning. That's also just baseball https://t.co/7Kud0AxE0T
— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) March 26, 2026
Paul Skenes is the 1st reigning Cy Young winner EVER to fail to get out of the 1st inning in his first start of the following season.
— Nicholas Nathanson (@nicholasj232) March 26, 2026
Times Paul Skenes allowed 5 runs in his 1st 55 starts: 1
5 run starts in 2026: 1
Unreal.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) March 26, 2026
If you had the New York Mets scoring 5 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning against the reigning NL Cy Young winner in Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Paul Skenes on Opening Day no less, I would not believe you.
This is shocking. Gotta process this. #OpeningDay
— Shukri Wrights (@SWrights975) March 26, 2026
Paul Skenes getting lit up is NOT something I was expecting for today.
— Compadre 🇩🇴 (@Yamil_ElRey) March 26, 2026
Here’s how the inning went for Skenes:
- Francisco Lindor walk
- Juan Soto single
- Bo Bichette RBI sac fly
- Jorge Polanco single
- Luis Robert Jr. walk
- Brett Baty 3-RBI triple
- Marcus Semien RBI double
- Carson Benge strike out
- Francisco Alvarez hit by pitch
Pirates star Oneil Cruz badly misread a fly ball that cleared the bases and allowed three runs to score, which certainly didn’t help Skenes.
Oneil Cruz completely misread this Brett Baty fly ball, and it sailed over his head for a bases-clearing triple. Citi Field is loud right now, as the Mets have already made Paul Skenes throw 33 pitches. He's recorded just one out.
Mets 5, Pirates 2, bottom one. pic.twitter.com/yeKQGyNyz4
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 26, 2026
Cruz then missed a fly ball in center that allowed the fifth run to score.
An absolute nightmare first inning for Oneil Cruz pic.twitter.com/jjsX8UNj2L
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 26, 2026
Nonetheless, it’s still a shockingly quick exit for Skenes, who now has a whopping 67.50 ERA after his first start of the season.
The post Fans in disbelief after Paul Skenes’ quick exit on Opening Day appeared first on Larry Brown Sports.