Panic Grows for Paul Skenes, Padres Have Come Alive & Pope Mania Reaches New High for White Sox
On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake and Jordan try to figure out what’s wrong with Paul Skenes, highlight the Padres’ hot offense and recap the craziness that was the White Sox giving out a Pope hat.
The 2026 MLB season began with concerns surrounding Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, who had a particularly rough opener against the New York Mets. This performance had many pondering whether Skenes' issues might signify a broader problem. On the Baseball Bar-B-Cast podcast, hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discussed Skenes' struggles, comparing him to Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who experienced a significant decline following his impressive 2025 season.
They also contemplated if the upcoming World Baseball Classic could serve as a plausible excuse for Skenes' recent setbacks.
In a separate segment, the hosts shifted their focus to the San Diego Padres, currently experiencing a surge in offensive production led by Jackson Merrill. This revitalized Padres lineup has once again placed them in contention for an NL Wild Card spot. The conversation then turned to the Chicago White Sox, which had put a Pope-themed hat up for grabs as part of a promotional giveaway.
Additionally, Major League Baseball veteran Tim Anderson made the announcement of his retirement, prompting further discussion on the podcast.
The show concluded with a light-hearted segment where the hosts engaged in a game focused on predicting the 2026 Heart and Hustle Award winners.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
