Paul Skenes Wears Skull and Crossbones Tie for Pirates Opener in MLB Opening Day Photo

Paul Skenes showed up for his first start of the Pittsburgh Pirates' 2025 season in style.

Skenes wore a skull and crossbones tie to LoanDeport Park ahead of Thursday's Opening Day start against the Miami Marlins.

Skenes wore the same tie while signing with the Pirates for a record signing bonus of $9.2 million in 2023.

Thursday afternoon marks the first Opening Day start of Skenes' career. At 22 years and 302 days old, he is the youngest starter to open a season since 21-year-old José Fernández pitched for the Marlins in 2014, per the Associated Press' Ronald Blum.

When asked earlier this month why Skenes was his choice for Opening Day, manager Derek Shelton said he believes he "deserves it from what he did last year."

Skenes, who was promoted to the Pirates roster in May, finished the season with an 11-3 record and 1.96 ERA while recording 170 strikeouts compared to just 32 walks. He was named the NL Rookie of the Year award and earned a top-three finish in NL Cy Young voting.

Now at the top of the Pirates' rotation, Skenes will make his first start of the season against Sandy Alcántara.

Alcántara is returning from the Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the 2024 season. He won the NL Cy Young Award in 2022 during his last fully healthy campaign with the Marlins.

First pitch between the Pirates and Marlins is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.