Paul Skenes is a numbers nerd. Well, most of the time anyway. The Pittsburgh Pirates ace will make it a point to glance up at the ribbon boards that instantaneously spew out the data following each pitch — velocity,

Skenes last pitched on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers in one of his poorest starts of the year, lasting just four innings while giving up four earned runs in the Pirates’ 14-0 loss. Granted, the Brewers swept the Pirates as part of their 14-game losing streak that was just broken on Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds.

Skenes will start the series opener vs. the Blue Jays, battling right-handed starting pitcher Kevin Gausman. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. (EST). This marks the first time that Skenes has pitched against the Blue Jays in his MLB career, since making his debut on May 11, 2024.