Paul Skenes, the defending Cy Young Award winner, is experiencing a challenging season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, posting a 3.91 ERA that marks a significant decline from his previous dominant form. The ace has attributed part of his performance struggles to his participation in the World Baseball Classic, which he believes impacted his velocity and overall effectiveness on the mound. As the season winds down, Skenes reflects on how international competition may have contributed to his uncharacteristic downturn.

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