BRADENTON, Fla. — Down here, in this southern town that seemingly hasn’t progressed past the 1950s, stands the game’s future. Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes is a very modern pitcher, born this century and blessed with equal parts velocity and imagination.
The old-time ballyard here that was forever McKechnie Field before taking some obscure, updated moniker houses Pirates fans pining for the past, many outfitted with jerseys for Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell and others from the long-gone Pirates glory days. This southern burg looks like something you’d imagine out of postwar America.
Skenes, though, is about the days ahead.
With his 100 mph fastball and four-pitch mix that includes the Skenes-invented splinker, a sinker/splitter combo, he alternates between dominance and deception. And here’s bad news for opposing hitters: The right-hander’s working on adding fifth and sixth pitches — a cutter and regular sinker, and he got two outs in his 4 ²/₃ innings Monday in a 4-2 win over the Twins with the new, normal sinker.