Paul Skenes Will Be Fine. The Pirates Bullpen Might Not Be.

Opening Day was supposed to feel like the start of something big. Instead, it raised a bunch of uncomfortable questions. On this episode of OffBeat, Alex Stumpf reacts to the Pirates’ ugly 11-7 loss to the Mets, breaks down Paul Skenes’ uncharacteristically rough first inning, and explains why Oneil Cruz’s defensive mistakes mattered but should not define the story. Alex also digs into the bigger concern that came out of Game 1: a bullpen that already looked shaky in the exact areas many feared coming into the season. It is one game, but it was the kind of one game that immediately puts the spotlight on some real pressure points.