Paul Skenes Debuts Cutter in 1st MLB Spring Training Game of 2025: 'Going to Be Good'

Paul Skenes debuted a new pitch during his first spring training start with the Pittsburgh Pirates entering the 2025 season on Saturday.

Skenes showed off his new cutter in a 5-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

"You've just got to mix it in," Skenes explained after the game, via the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "I learned some stuff about it. It's going to be good, I think."

The 2024 National League Rookie of the Year allowed four hits and one earned run in three innings against Baltimore. He also racked up four strikeouts compared to one walk.

Skenes is adding the cutter to his arsenal to complement his signature four-seam fastball. He utilized the four-seamer on 39 percent of his pitches as a rookie, the most of any throw in his repertoire (via Baseball Savant).

Even without the cutter in his inaugural season, Skenes was one of the most dominant pitchers in the majors. He finished with an impressive 11-3 record in 2024, compiling a 1.96 ERA to go along with a 0.947 WHIP.

Skenes also struck out 170 batters while allowing just 32 walks in 133 innings of work.

He finished No. 3 in 2024 NL Cy Young Award voting.

As the Pirates look to take a step forward in 2025 after finishing with a 76-86 record in each of the past two seasons, the debut of Skenes' latest pitch looked promising.