Paul Skenes makes shortest start of his career on Opening Day | MLB notebook
The New York Mets didn’t make much hard contact against Paul Skenes during Thursday’s 11-7 Opening Day win against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but they were able to knock him out of the game after just 2/3 of an inning. It was the shortest start of Skenes’ brilliant big-league career, as the Mets tagged the Pirates’ ace for five earned runs, four hits, two walks and a hit batsman.
Skenes had a two-inning, end-of-season start as a rookie in 2024. Otherwise, his shortest start was 3⅔ innings on Sept. 16 against the Chicago Cubs.
The National League’s reigning Cy Young Award winner didn’t receive much help in the first inning, as Oneil Cruz made consecutive defensive miscues despite not being charged with any errors. One was on a Brett Baty liner with the bases loaded that sailed over Cruz’s head and landed several feet in front of the warning track, scoring all three runners. Baty’s hit was ruled a three-run triple, but Cruz didn’t do himself any favors when he started in. Baty soon scored on Marcus Semien’s fly ball to center, which Cruz appeared to lose in the sun.
After Skenes struck out Carson Benge, it appeared he might be able to finish the inning, but Pirates manager Don Kelly lifted Skenes after his 37th pitch, which hit Francisco Alvarez.
WBC hangover?
Skenes was one of Team USA’s top two starters in the World Baseball Classic. The other, Logan Webb, finished with nearly identical numbers in the tournament – Skenes allowed one earned run over 81/3 innings in his two starts with nine strikeouts, while Webb struck out 11 while allowing an earned run over 82/3 innings.
Webb started for the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night in San Francisco and also ran into trouble, allowing six earned runs over five innings in a 7-0 loss to the New York Yankees.
The Yankees’ lineup had an impressive performance in their first game of 2026. That is, except for the Yankees’ and Team USA’s captain. Aaron Judge wasn’t just the only player in New York’s lineup to not collect a hit; he went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts.
End of a streak
Tyler O’Neill’s record-breaking Opening Day home run streak has come to an end.
For the first time in seven years, the Baltimore Orioles outfielder didn’t dial long distance in his team’s first game of the season. Even though he didn’t homer, O’Neill found a way to contribute as his seeing-eye-single in the seventh inning set up the game’s first run as the Baltimore Orioles topped the Minnesota Twins 2-1 in front of 42,134 at Orioles Park at Camden Yards.
O’Neill went 1-for-2 with a walk.
Facing Twins All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan, O’Neill took several good swings during his first plate appearance but settled for a nine-pitch walk.
O’Neill offered at a high fastball in his next at-bat and popped out to start the fifth inning.
In what amounted to his final shot to extend his own slice of baseball history, O’Neill keyed the go-ahead run when he hit an 0-1 sinker from reliever Justin Topa up the middle for a single. O’Neill later scored on a two-out single by Blaze Alexander.
Angels blank Astros
The Los Angeles Angels were victorious on Opening Day for the first time since 2021, beating the Houston Astros 3-0 at Daikin Park in Houston.
Jose Soriano threw six innings, allowing two hits and four walks with seven strikeouts. That set the tone as the Astros offense was held in check, managing three hits – two from newcomer Joey Loperfido, who is yet to catch on in a short MLB career.
The Astros top five batters of Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Isaac Paredes and Carlos Correa combined to go 0-for-13.
Houston starter Hunter Brown threw 4⅔ scoreless innings. Mike Trout broke the tie with a solo home run in the seventh inning, the 404th of his illustrious career.
From wire services