Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Joey Bart (14) talks with starting pitcher Paul Skenes, right, during a mound visit in the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Sarasota, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

From Mirror, wire reports

BRADENTON, Fla. — Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes got a chance to showcase his expanded repertoire to opposing hitters Saturday while pitching in a Grapefruit League game for the first time this year.

Skenes has been working on adding a cutter and a running two-seam fastball to complement his electrifying four-seam fastball. The 22-year-old struck out four and allowed four hits, one walk and one run in three innings Saturday in the Pirates’ 5-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

“You’ve just got to mix it in,” Skenes told SportsNet Pittsburgh and other media after the game. “I learned some stuff about it. It’s going to be good, I think.”

Skenes is following up a sensational 2024 season in which he earned NL Rookie of the Year honors and went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 133 innings. The Pirates selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft after he led LSU to that year’s College World Series championship.

Oneil Cruz and Nick Solak homered for the Pirates in the fourth inning, Konnor Griffin put them up 3-2 in the top of the ninth, and Enmanuel Valdez added a two-run shot.

Sunday’s game

The Pirates were beaten by the Detroit Tigers, 10-4, on Sunday in Bradenton.

Jared Jones allowed one run in more than two innings of work for the Pirates.

Henry Davis, Darick Hall and Endy Rodriguez homered for the Bucs, who reassigned pitcher Anthony Solometo, infielders Termarr Johnson and Jack Brannigan, and utility player Griffin to minor league camp.

The Pirates play in Tampa against the New York Yankees at 6:35 p.m. today with Bailey Falter expected to start for the Pirates.