This week, Pirates manager Don Kelly raved about Paul Skenes’ performance, saying, “His stuff was elite” after the star outdid Shohei Ohtani’s record by limiting opposing lineups to six or fewer hits in 46 consecutive starts. In Thursday night’s 7-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds, Skenes dropped his ERA to 1.94 and stretched his scoreless streak at home to 27 2/3 innings. In fact, it was the lowest among qualified pitchers. But if you ask a former Pirates legend about betting on the team, he’d likely tell you to steer clear… and that goes for betting on players like Skenes, too.

In a recent exclusive interview with The Athletic, Rich Donnelly, arguably one of the greatest former Pirates team members, expressed hesitation about the team despite their elite dominance. His point? He’s not downplaying these impressive runs, but rather noting that they tend to be inconsistent. According to him, that inconsistency can lead to some tough outcomes. Like making the betters “poor.” 

“I’ve been watching ball, and I’ve been in ball, all my life,” Donnelly told Jayson Stark, “And I’ve never seen a team like this. Every morning I go down to the sports bar. I don’t drink, but I go to listen to all the Pirates fans. And I tell them: If you bet on the Pirates every game, you need to go see a psychiatrist … because if you bet on them every game, then tomorrow morning, when they give out the bread in downtown Steubenville to the poor people, you’d be in that line.” 

Donnelly’s observations about the Pirates’ inconsistency ring true when you dig into the stats. This season, the Pirates have posted a 51-66 record, putting them at the very bottom of the NL Central. Looking at the season in halves, they were 39-58 in the first half but have turned things around somewhat in the second half with a 12-8 mark. But then again, there are some volatile parts of their 2025 run.

They pitched shutouts in all three games versus the Cardinals, then got shut out in all three versus Seattle. And in a bizarre back-to-back series twist, they got swept by the AL’s worst team (White Sox), then swept the AL’s best team (Tigers). That’s peak inconsistency. Nevertheless, to Donelly’s credit, a few of the other Pirates’ decisions are questionable. Like, the fact that they’re not fighting tooth and nail to keep Skenes in the team despite his historic run. And, yes, that also highlights the bigger problems with the clubhouse.

Paul Skenes’ question reflects a bigger Pirates problem

The Pirates are caught in a frustrating loop as they struggle to secure the future of ace pitcher Paul Skenes at PNC Park. With Skenes being one of MLB’s most promising young pitchers, the organization appears hesitant to commit to a long-term deal, especially with big-market teams like the Yankees and Dodgers circling.

The team’s stinginess on spending is a pain point for fans, given their last playoff run was 2015 and their last World Series win was 1979. The team’s ownership runs with one of the lowest payrolls in the league, at $85.5 million for Opening Day 2025, showing a broader hesitation to invest in building a competitive team. And yes, that is a trouble for the team’s future.

The Pirates focused on cutting salary rather than adding proven players at the trade deadline, trading away players like David Bednar, Ke’Bryan Hayes, and Caleb Ferguson primarily for prospects. In fact, dumped $36 million left on Hayes’ contract to the Reds. Though Cherington hinted the savings would be reinvested, Perrotto’s reporting indicates otherwise.

Without more payroll wiggle room, keeping a star like Skenes is unlikely, especially with free agency looming. On the other hand, the Red Sox locked up outfielder Roman Anthony with an eight-year, $130 million deal. Since Anthony isn’t in Skenes’ league, a Skenes extension would likely need over $200 million. For a franchise that has maintained a $100 million payroll since 2017, that deal looks like a long shot.

So, yes, therein lies a nod to Rich Donnelly’s arguments about Pirates.