Pirates ace Paul Skenes reveals patriotic reason for representing Team USA in the World Baseball Classic

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who is playing for Team USA successful the World Baseball Classic, said that helium is pitching to grant U.S. servicemen and women.

Skenes, 23, spent 2 years astatine the U.S. Air Force Academy earlier transferring to LSU and told Team USA manager Mark DeRosa that that’s wherefore helium chose to pitch.

"That’s what we bash it for," Skenes told The Athletic. "This is the top state successful the world. That’s what I believe. That’s wherefore I wanted to serve, wherefore I went to the Air Force Academy. And those folks don’t get the designation they deserve.

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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) stands for the nationalist anthem earlier the crippled against the Chicago Cubs astatine PNC Park successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sept. 15, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

"We’re doing it to correspond the men and women that are warring for us, on with galore different things that marque this state the top state successful the world. That puts it into position a small bit."

Skenes said that for New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge to enactment successful the tournament, on with galore of the stars representing Team USA, means it has go a batch bigger than them.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) walks successful from the bullpen earlier the crippled against the Oakland Athletics astatine PNC Park successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sept. 21, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

"I’m not suiting up successful my OCPs (Operational Camouflage Pattern uniforms) again oregon my formal blues oregon thing similar that, but it is going to beryllium a precise chill acquisition for maine personally. For (team captain) Aaron Judge to reply the call, each the guys connected the position-player broadside and past each the pitchers that we’ve gotten, it’s this happening that’s a batch bigger than immoderate of us," Skenes said. 

The U.S. shot squad volition effort to travel the illustration of the Team USA men’s and women’s hockey teams, who some took location a golden medal implicit Canada. Skenes’ beingness connected the squad makes that anticipation overmuch much likely.

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Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes reacts aft striking retired Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (not pictured) to extremity the 3rd inning astatine PNC Park successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

Skenes, successful conscionable his 2nd large league season, won the National League Cy Young Award past season. In 32 games, Skenes had a 1.97 ERA and recorded 216 strikeouts successful 187.2 innings pitched. 

Assuming the U.S. advances retired of excavation play, Skenes told The Athletic that helium plans to marque 2 starts successful the tournament. 

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