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Tigers vs. Pirates MLB picks: Former top pitching prospects Jobe, Skenes meet

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Two clubs that have disappointed this year and are likely to miss the postseason meet in the earliest game of Wednesday when Detroit visits Pittsburgh with a 12:35 p.m. ET first pitch in the rubber match of the series. I believe there’s a legitimate chance it’s the final start this season for struggling Pirates ace and reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes if he’s “off” yet again. Bet $5+ and get $150 in bonus bets instantly when you bet on baseball at DraftKings:

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Skenes (9-11, 3.88 ERA) was originally slated to start Sunday against Boston, but manager Don Kelly opted to push the 24-year-old right-hander back to Wednesday. Skenes supported that decision and swears he is healthy despite a noticeable drop in velocity this season and having gone 3-5 with a 5.28 ERA in 11 starts since June 9. The Pirates are 3-8 across Skenes’ last 11 starts. The former No. 1 overall pick has been one of the worst starting pitching bets all season as you would be down $983 if you bet Pittsburgh to win all of his outings.

Everything apparently changed around midseason when Skenes changed his delivery – SI’s Tom Verducci, one of the most respected MLB guys in the country, did a pretty interesting deep dive on Skenes last week, so I want to make sure I credit him here. I’m aware of pitching mechanics, but I’m certainly no expert on these changes.

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June 9 was the day Skenes adjusted his stride to be less crossfire than ever before. Per Verducci, there is a difference since that change in “Skenes’ feet position (more direct to the plate) and hand position (less offset) … and that by not stepping across his body as much, Skenes is releasing the baseball with 8-9″ less offset (from the center line of the plate).”

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Long story short, right-handed hitters are now killing Skenes. Through June 8, they were hitting .193 and slugging .307. Since that change, those numbers are .301 and .470. Skenes went just 65 pitches last week in a loss in Miami and averaged career-low 95.7 mph on his fastball. He induced just four misses on 34 swings for a 12% whiff rate, the lowest single-game mark of his big-league career. His average overall fastball velocity this season is 96.8 mph, down from 98.1 mph last season and 98.8 mph in 2024 when winning NL Rookie of the Year.

“If I were the manager, I’d probably do it too,” Skenes said of being pushed back. “[Kelly] walked me through everything, and it made sense. It certainly can’t hurt in terms of recovery.”

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Needless to say, Skenes is a massive part of the Pirates’ future – at least until the Dodgers trade for him (sigh) when he gets too expensive. So if his velo is down yet again Wednesday, I could absolutely see the Bucs shutting him down. They aren’t getting a playoff spot.

In three career starts vs. Detroit, Skenes is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 18.0 innings. The model has Skenes at 5.5 innings (I’m skeptical), 6.6 strikeouts, 4.5 hits allowed and 1.7 earned runs. I’m excited to see him face Tigers superstar rookie Kevin McGonigle for the first time in their MLB careers with McGonigle the runaway -525 favorite for AL Rookie of the Year. The 21-year-old infielder looks like a future AL MVP. 

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McGonigle was a very touted prospect, and so was Wednesday starting pitcher Jackson Jobe (1-1, 6.23 ERA). But the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft and one-time No. 1 overall pitching prospect in the sport (like Skenes was) hasn’t lived up to the promise yet. Jobe pitched in just two games in 2024 and 10 last year due to Tommy John surgery. He was reinstated from the injured list a less than two weeks ago.

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Jobe’s first start was great as he hit 100.1 mph on the gun while pitching five shutout innings in a win at San Francisco. But Jobe was rocked in start No. 2 last Friday by the White Sox, allowing six runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. This marks his first career start vs. Pittsburgh, and the model has him at 5.0 innings, 4.6 strikeouts, 4.9 hits allowed and 2.6 earned runs.

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Day games after a night game generally are lower-scoring with guys a bit tired, and weather shouldn’t much factor at PNC Park. Skenes has been decent his past two outings and a bit better at home overall this year, and I’m not sure which Jobe we get. With both teams off Thursday, the bullpens can be used plenty if need be. The model has the Pirates winning 4.6-4.1. Check out other expert picks in the SportsLine daily newsletter.

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Fantasy baseball injuries: Konnor Griffin, Roman Anthony near returns

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Nobody is allowed to get injured anymore.

We’re inside of six weeks to go, after all, which means anyone who goes down now probably isn’t coming back. That’s not strictly true, of course. Minimal IL stints do exist, but they’re not so easily anticipated. Consider it a bonus if you get anything more from a player who you’re currently stashing in an IL spot.

Still, if you have the spots, you might as well use them, right? Even if it seems like a lost cause, the tide can turn quickly. Oneil Cruz and Maikel Garcia were both activated Monday after only a week or so of forewarning. Carlos Rodon is set to be activated Tuesday after making only two rehab starts. Konnor Griffin and Roman Anthony just went from months of no progress to being on the verge of a rehab assignment in the blink of an eye. Not all is lost until the clock runs out.

That’s why, for this last edition of the IL stash rankings, you may notice that certain players presumed to be done for 2026 still occupy a place of significance. Presumption isn’t the final say, after all, and if Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers or Spencer Schwellenbach do make it back for the final week or two, it’ll have a greater say in your league’s final outcome than if you had stashed, say, Davis Martin.

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Think of it as just another form of lottery ticket as the season begins to wind down. Maybe don’t hold your breath, but do cross your fingers.

Too valuable to drop, period

Also really difficult to drop

Still a priority on some level

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Stashing is purely a luxury

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3 Signs Bron Breakker will lose to Oba Femi at WWE Sunday Night’s Main Event

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At WWE Sunday Night’s Main Event, Bron Breakker and Oba Femi will lock horns to decide the company’s next real future star. Over the past few weeks, The New Big Dog and The Ruler have appeared in several interesting segments.

This culminated in Heyman announcing a match between them for the SNME show next month. Meanwhile, there are already major signs that indicate Bron will lose to the Nigerian star.

In this listicle, we’ll take a quick look at the three signs signaling Bron Breakker’s loss at Sunday Night’s Main Event.


#3. Oba is fresh off retiring Brock for good

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At WWE SummerSlam 2026, Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar competed in a rubber match, which ended with The Ruler slaying The Beast again. In the post-match, Lesnar put Oba over in front of the live crowd, asserting him as WWE’s future.

Following this big momentum, Bron is his first opponent, and this gigantic moment signals that Breakker will lose to him at Sunday Night’s Main Event. As Oba is fresh off retiring the Mayor of Suplex City for good, it’s unlikely that the Triple H-led creative regime will book him to lose and derail his momentum.


#2. Bron has been too emotional, while Femi is calm

Since Brock Lesnar hailed Oba Femi as the future of the company, Bron Breakker is highly focused on proving himself. He has sought validation from Heyman multiple times on RAW, and this eventually led to his upcoming match against the former NXT Champion.

Breakker is not only preparing himself for a match, but his emotions are also running high as he looks to prove himself as the next future star of sports entertainment. On the other hand, Oba Femi is calm and treating this match like a normal bout rather than a high-profile contest.

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So, it wouldn’t be a surprise if his emotions eventually got the better of Bron Breakker and cost him at Sunday Night’s Main Event. The Ruler’s calmness could favor him and help him defeat the current WWE World Tag Team Champion.


#1. Bron needs a reason to leave The Vision on WWE RAW

A battle in the present… and for the future… OBA FEMI. BRON BREAKKER. Sunday Night’s Main Event is LIVE on @peacock Sunday, September 6th.

Bron Breakker is seemingly stuck in The Vision. The alliance also appears to be an obstacle in his singles run in the company. Losing to Oba Femi at Sunday Night’s Main Event will give The Vision member a reason to leave the group and focus on his singles career.

There are already considerable hints that Bron Breakker is leaving The Vision group. Even nowadays, he is more focused on himself than on being a villainous faction member.

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Losing to Oba Femi at WWE SNME will give him a valid reason to finally leave the Austin Theory & Logan Paul-led faction and start a singles run on the main roster again.