What unfolded at Citizens Bank Park was nothing short of a nightmare for Paul Skenes. Entering Wednesday’s game, the Pirates had gone eight consecutive starts without a win with their ace on the mound. His last victory came on May 12. The 2025 NL Cy Young winner lasted just four innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, and by the time he left the mound, the Phillies had already put eight runs on the board. And this wasn’t the first time they had made him look ordinary.

“Our club’s not really afraid of anybody. So it doesn’t matter who the guy is,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said after the 10-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. 

Skenes allowed six hits, seven earned runs, and two walks while striking out five batters over 81 pitches. This was his most expensive outing in 2026 after leading the league with a 1.97 ERA last season. The 2x All-Star and 2024 NL Rookie of the Year faced the Phillies twice this year, and Philadelphia dominated him in both cases. Earlier in May, he allowed 6 hits and 5 earned runs, and the Pirates had a 6-0 shutout loss. 

That’s why the reporters asked how the Phillies were able to solve Paul Skenes. They wondered how a young pitcher who was a Cy Young favorite early in the season struggled heavily against a mid-tier team twice already. And Mattingly offered them the most straightforward answer. 

But he didn’t belittle Skenes in any way. In fact, he just reflected on the mentality of his own team, giving due respect to Skenes. 

“Obviously, his stuff is good. Pretty much every time he’s gonna have good stuff,” the 65-year-old added. “But we just kinda kept going.”

True, Paul Skenes isn’t having the best season in 2026. He has allowed quite a few runs, especially since his start against the Phillies on May 16, but he has mostly managed to keep a sub-three ERA, which has now jumped to 3.62 after the last game. This slump in performance is not lost on the pitcher, though.

“[The Phillies] are a good lineup,” Skenes said postgame. “I haven’t made it easy on myself, but I just gotta execute a little better.”

Pirates GM Ben Cherington also did address a slight drop in velocity from him. But he is still throwing 90+ and is considered one of baseball’s premier arms. That’s why the rough outing is actually credited to the Philadelphia lineup. 

Phillies’ confidence extends beyond the numbers

Philadelphia doesn’t have an elite offense. One look at their numbers will confirm that. They are 14th in the league with 393 runs and 22nd with a .238 batting average. The Phillies are middle of the pack with only a +10 run differential. Their performance against Paul Skenes alone doesn’t establish an overall extraordinary status for the team. 

But they are very much in contention. Mattingly’s boys are just 2.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves at the top of the NL East. And they are 3.0 games ahead in the Wild Card race. The roster includes players with commendable skills and good experience. 

That’s exactly what Don Mattingly referred to when he said, “We got guys that have had success in their career.”

They have Bryce Harper, the franchise superstar with a .908 OPS and 20 HRs this season. Beyond the batter’s box, he is also a mentor for the young group and a leader in the clubhouse. Trea Turner is a dynamic shortstop with incredible speed and electric slugging streaks. Other players like Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto have often stepped up when the franchise needed them the most. 

That’s what Mattingly indicated. Collective experience and balanced performance. They don’t shy away from facing guys like Paul Skenes. That’s exactly what earns them the wins and keeps them in the chase.