Will Paul Skenes play against Washington Nationals tonight? Latest update on Pittsburgh Pirates star's injury report (April 14, 2025)

The Pittsburgh Pirates confirmed that Paul Skenes will start tonight against the Washington Nationals with no injury concerns. The right-hander, 22 years old, is trying to bounce back after a rough outing last week against the St. Louis Cardinals, where he allowed five earned runs. In his weekly radio show on Sunday, Pittsburgh Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington said he had complete confidence in Paul Skenes, who has struggled recently but is the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are desperately in need of Paul Skenes to throw a strong performance tonight as they try to end a three-game skid after being swept by the Cincinnati Reds this weekend. This season, Paul Skenes has been the slump buster already, with a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on April 2, where he threw 102 pitches in seven innings, giving up no earned runs.
"One walk, seven punchouts is a bad start that most guys would take," Cherington said on team flagship 93.7 FM. "It speaks to the sort of level that he's created for himself... There's zero concern about the last start. Even within that start, there's a lot of good things happened."

The Pittsburgh Pirates have struggled offensively, entering tonight's game with MLB's worst batting average (.184) and the fourth-fewest runs scored in baseball (50 total, 3.1 per game). This puts additional pressure on Skenes to limit the Washington Nationals' offense, which has been considerably more productive this season.
Paul Skenes (1-1, 3.44 ERA) will take the mound against Washington Nationals rookie Brad Lord (0-0, 1.80 ERA) in tonight's series opener. This matchup features two pitchers at very different stages of their careers, with Paul Skenes already established as one of baseball's most promising young stars despite having just three starts this season.
The game begins at 6:40 p.m. ET on 14th April at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, with television coverage available on SportsNet PT and MASN. Fans can also stream the game live on Fubo.
The Pittsburgh Pirates organization shows unwavering support for their young ace, with Cherington expressing that they understand who Paul Skenes truly is—a player known for his accountability, work ethic, and exceptional talent—and that they have complete confidence in his ability to give the team a chance to win in his Monday start.
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