PITTSBURGH – Already, with two outs in the fourth inning, the Cubs watched Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes hand the ball over and stride toward the dugout.
There was no reason for the Pirates, who were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Monday, to push their star hurler. But excluding the season finale of Skenes’ rookie campaign – which was a scripted two-inning start – it was the shortest outing of his major-league career.
“We’ve seen him quite a few times over the last couple of years, but still really good,” Cubs first baseman Michael Busch said after the Cubs’ 4-1 win Tuesday against the Pirates.