Endy Rodríguez catching Paul Skenes vs. Brewers

The lone run came on Alec Burleson’s homer in the first. Skenes would have been done after six innings and 90 pitches today, but he was at 199 strikeouts. He returned for the seventh and immediately got No. 200, with Leo Bernal somehow just watching two fastballs down the middle go right by him for strikes two and three. Skenes was then lifted from the 1-1 game, keeping him 10-11 with a 3.82 ERA for the season. He has some adjustments to make next year, assuming the 1.5 mph he lost on his fastball isn’t coming back, but it’d be a bad idea to count him out. The poor defensive support he received accounted for much of his decline this year.

Skenes made it through the first two batters of the game without any issue, but grooved a first-pitch fastball to Vinnie Pasquantino over the heart of the plate, which Pasquantino drove 410 feet for a home run to put the Royals up 1-0. The Brewers would add to their lead in the third inning when they strung together four hits, with Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia both driving in runs to push the Royals’ lead to 4-0. Skenes would allow a solo homer to Michael Massey in the top of the fourth inning for his fifth and final earned run of the night but would settle in to pitch two more scoreless innings before being pulled at the start of the seventh inning. Skenes has allowed five earned runs in two of his four starts in September and has a 4.70 ERA in the month. He’s set to make one more start this season, which will come on Thursday at home against the Cardinals.

The runs scored on solo homers. Skenes had 12 whiffs and struck out four before leaving with a one-run lead that was blown by Gregory Soto in the eighth. Still, it was a positive day for him. He needed just 82 pitches to get his 21 outs, and he walked only one. Skenes figures to make his next start Friday against the Royals, unless the Pirates find reason to be aggressive and start him Thursday versus the Brewers instead.

Davis’ home run was his ninth of the season. He hit a solo shot off Walbert Ureña in the third inning, which was the only run scored in the Pirates’ 1-0 victory. Davis’ home run was his first since July 12 against the Brewers, a span of 26 games. He’s hitting .169 with a .570 OPS and 35 RBI.

Skenes gave up four hits, walked one and struck out two. He improved to 10-11 with the win. Skenes bounced back nicely after allowing five runs against the Giants in his last start. He has a 3.83 ERA. Skenes is lined up to face the Cubs on the road next weekend.

All of the runs came in the second inning. Incredibly, the Pirates picked Skenes up, scoring nine times in the third to knock Logan Webb out of the game and take an 11-5 lead. Skenes, though, was lifted one out shy of qualifying for the win after allowing a single and a double in the fifth. Skenes’ bad inning was the product of a walk, three singles and a Rafael Devers homer. He finished with four strikeouts. It’ll be another outing in which his expected numbers weren’t as bad as his actual ones, but no one much wants to hear about that at this point. He’ll take a 3.97 ERA into Sunday’s start against the Angels.

Rodríguez is expected to miss 7-9 months after undergoing left hip surgery last week. The 26-year-old former top prospect figures to be ready to return to game action at some point towards the end of spring training. There’s a chance he’s non-tendered by the Pirates this offseason if they decide to move forward with Rafael Flores Jr. as their primary backstop.

Rodríguez underwent a procedure to address a labrum tear and won’t be cleared to resume baseball activities until at least March, which means he’s going to miss time at the outset of next season. The 26-year-old was showing some really encouraging signs at the plate before hitting the injured list earlier this month. His absence opens the door for Rafael Flores to continue playing regularly between catcher and first base into next season.

Skenes was brilliant on Tuesday in San Diego, holding the Padres scoreless over six innings. He scattered just three hits and did not walk a batter while striking out four. He’d depart with the game still scoreless after six in what was a pitcher’s duel. It was Skenes’ first scoreless outing since May 12. The 24-year-old right-hander will take a 3.79 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and a 175/41 K/BB ratio across 145 innings into a start against the Giants in Pittsburgh next Tuesday.

It appears that Rodríguez is simply getting more information right now, and no decision has been made, but it’s an ominous turn of events for the 26-year-old who was performing well when healthy this season. The problem is that Rodríguez has struggled to remain healthy in his MLB career and may not be able to hold up to a full season of catching.