Pirates Beat Orioles 9-5 as Skenes Struggles in Spring Training

The Pittsburgh Pirates are entering a pivotal season as general manager Ben Cherington and manager Derek Shelton face pressure after a lackluster performance over the past two years, each finishing with 76-86 records. While the team showed promise in 2023 with a strong finish, their 2024 campaign was marred by a poor stretch, culminating in a 10-game losing streak. Key player Paul Skenes, who was the National League Rookie of the Year last season, is expected to lead the team's pitching staff as he continues to develop new pitches. In recent spring training games, Skenes has shown potential, including a performance where he struck out three batters in three innings against the Orioles. The Pirates' offensive players also performed well, with Endy Rodriguez and Liover Peguero contributing to a recent victory. As the team prepares for the regular season, there is optimism but also urgency for improvement to avoid continuing a long streak of losing seasons.