Paul Skenes: Everything you need to know

Skenes (6-4) took the loss against Toronto on Saturday, allowing four runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out two batters over five-plus innings. It didn't take long for Toronto to get to Skenes, as George Springer led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo homer. Skenes recovered to get through the fifth frame with just that one run on his ledger, but he fell apart in the sixth. In that inning, the Blue Jays opened with four straight hits before Skenes was pulled, and he was ultimately charged with three runs. This was the second straight uncharacteristically mediocre start for the right-hander, who gave up five runs in five innings against Philadelphia in his previous outing. That's pushed his season ERA up to 3.00, and he'll look to get back on track his next time out, which lines up to be a home start against the Cubs.

Skenes (6-3) took the loss Sunday against the Phillies, allowing five runs on six hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out seven. After twirling eight innings of scoreless ball in back-to-back starts, Skenes stumbled in a tough spot against the red-hot Phillies on Sunday. Three of his hits allowed went for extra bases, and the All-Star right-hander gave up more than three runs for the first time since his disastrous Opening Day start against the Mets. Despite Sunday's hiccup, Skenes still holds a stellar 2.62 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 63:8 K:BB over 55 innings ahead of his next scheduled outing in Toronto.

Skenes (6-2) earned the win Tuesday against the Rockies, allowing just two hits and no walks with 10 strikeouts across eight shutout innings. Skenes struck out the first six batters he faced and retired the first 14 Rockies before hitting Troy Johnston with a pitch in the fifth. Skenes lost his no-hitter with one out in the seventh, and he's taken a no-hitter deep into games multiple times in recent starts. The right-hander generated 19 whiffs on 98 pitches against Colorado but wasn't allowed to go out for the ninth inning in a 3-0 game. He's thrown 100 pitches in a game just once in nine starts but has now posted back-to-back eight-inning, two-hit shutouts in wins over the Diamondbacks and Rockies. Since allowing five runs over 0.2 innings on Opening Day against the Mets, Skenes has yielded just six runs over 49.1 frames. On the season, the Pirates' ace has a microscopic 1.98 ERA and 56:7 K:BB across 50 innings. He's lined up to face the Phillies at home Sunday.