Paul Skenes is set to face the Reds on Friday, looking to end his seven-game winless streak. His last win was on May 12 against Colorado.
What's at stake?
The Pirates have lost all seven games with Skenes on the mound, despite his strong performance. Skenes has a 2.86 ERA and has struck out 30.1% of the batters he's faced.
Skenes' history against the Reds
Skenes has a 5-0 record against the Reds, with a 0.63 ERA in six career starts. He has 45 strikeouts in 34.0 innings against Cincinnati.
The Reds will counter with lefty Andrew Abbott, who has given up three runs or fewer in 10 straight trips. Abbott has a 3.83 ERA and has received poor run support, with the Reds averaging 3.50 runs per game when he starts.
Skenes' recent performance
Skenes has thrown three straight quality starts, but the Pirates have been held to two runs or fewer in five of his last seven starts. He is averaging 97 mph on his fastball and has struck out 30.1% of the batters he's faced.
Skenes is now among the least-profitable pitchers in the majors, with bettors down $618 if they wagered on Pittsburgh to win each of his 16 starts. Despite this, Skenes remains confident in his abilities, saying he's evolved as a pitcher and is throwing better than last year.
The SportsLine Projection Model forecasts Skenes to pitch 5.6 innings, with 6.7 strikeouts and 1.5 earned runs. At DraftKings, he is -115 to earn a win, with an over/under of 8.5 strikeouts.
The matchup
The Pirates are set to face the Reds at 6:40 ET on Friday, with Skenes looking to end his winless streak. The Reds have struggled against Skenes, with all active players batting a combined .217 with a .515 OPS against him.
Skenes' first win of 2026 came against the Reds on April 1, with five strong innings. He will look to replicate that performance on Friday and get back on track.
The Pirates have let Skenes pitch deep, with five straight outings of at least 103 pitches. This could be a key factor in the game, as Skenes looks to outlast the Reds and secure a win.
Skenes is confident in his abilities, and his history against the Reds suggests he has a good chance of ending his winless streak. The game is set to be a closely contested matchup, with the Pirates looking to get back on track behind Skenes' strong pitching.