Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had high praise for Paul Skenes, who held power hitter Shohei Ohtani to 0 for 3 on Saturday despite the Pirates losing 4-1 at Dodger Stadium.
“He’s obviously one of the best pitchers in the game. We got him for three (at PNC Park on June 5) and four (runs) tonight,” Roberts said.
“It’s going to be a big challenge to beat this guy. With the combination of pitching, great defense like we saw tonight and some timely hits, it was great.”
Although Skenes managed to keep Ohtani and Freddie Freeman from doing any damage, the Dodgers’ other hitters responded.
Teoscar Hernández had three hits and Gavin Lux scored three runs.
Before Saturday’s game in Los Angeles, Skenes held his opponents to a .170 batting average with his favorite shot, a sinker-splitter combination.
That changed after Hernández hit a home run in the fifth inning against Skenes’ favorite pitch.
Paul Skenes knocks out Shohei Ohtani for the second time in his career
93.5 MPH splinker, 1867 RPM, 32″ VB, 15″ HB pic.twitter.com/d23DEIBv1Q
– Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) 11 August 2024
The rookie struck out eight batters and allowed four runs on six hits and one walk.
“I think I made pretty much all of those throws,” Skenes told Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. “Against Lux, the sinker was maybe a little too far in. The four-seam drifted across the plate a little bit. Against Teoscar, I don’t think I made any of those throws. He’s a good hitter and he got them. Hats off to them. They’re good hitters.”
Skenes is the favorite for the National League’s Rookie of the Year award. After Saturday’s loss to the Dodgers, Skenes is now 6-2 this season with a 2.25 ERA.
The rookie has shown a downward trend in his recent appearances on the mound for the Pirates. Dodgers rookie right-hander Gavin Stone has experienced a similar trend. Stone isn’t performing as well as he did in the first half of the season. Whether it’s due to fatigue or some other factor is unclear.
Although the Dodgers earned a win on Saturday, Los Angeles will be without pitcher River Ryan for the remainder of the 2024 season after an injury.
Ryan is the 10th starting pitcher to be placed on the injured list this year. Roberts said Tommy John surgery is currently being considered for the 25-year-old’s elbow injury.
Ryan felt tightness in his forearm in the third inning of the game, but did not leave the mound until the fifth, when he began to show discomfort after a pitch to Michael A. Taylor.
The numerous injuries continue to cast a shadow over the Dodgers. The club is currently doing everything it can to maintain its narrow lead in the National League West division race.
