"This is a wasted year if we don't learn what we need to do and we don't know why we didn't go out there and do what we wanted to do," Skenes said Friday. "If those things happen, then it's a wasted year, in my opinion. I don't think that's happening. I think -- individually, as a team and as an organization -- we know the adjustments we need to make. Now, we've just got to do them."
A season that began with the club hoping to return to contention for the first time in a decade quickly disintegrated during a nightmarish 12-26 start that led to manager Derek Shelton's firing. Though Don Kelly steadied things after replacing Shelton, and Skenes has been the most dominant pitcher in the game, Pittsburgh entered its final home series against the Athletics this weekend having dropped 11 of 12 to assure the franchise's 29th losing season since 1992.
The worst offense in the majors -- Pittsburgh is last or near last in every major offensive category, from runs to home runs to OPS -- has also put Skenes on the cusp of making some unwanted history. Despite an MLB-leading 2.03 ERA to go with 209 strikeouts and a .199 batting average against, Skenes holds a 10-10 record heading into what will likely be his final start of the season early next week in Cincinnati.
