Luis Ortiz Faces Former Team in High-Stakes Pirates Matchup

BALTIMORE — The Cleveland Guardians are set to face the Pittsburgh Pirates in a weekend series featuring two intriguing pitching narratives: Luis Ortiz‘s return to his former team and a showdown with Paul Skenes, the Pirates’ rookie sensation.

Ortiz will take the mound Friday night at PNC Park, marking his first appearance against the Pirates since making his MLB debut with the team. “Ortiz had 10 strikeouts in his last outing, and now he gets to go back to the team that he came up with and face them,” said podcast host Joe Noga.

This start comes on the heels of Ortiz’s best performance of the season against Kansas City, where he struck out ten batters in 5 and 2/3 innings, allowing just one run. Veteran baseball writer Paul Hoynes commented, “He’s coming off two good starts. The last one was his best start of the season. Anderson pitched well against the Angels before that. He’s kind of finding his footing.”

The emotional stakes for Ortiz are significant as he prepares to face friends and former teammates. “It’s going to be really interesting to see how he handles the homecoming because that’s the only organization he came up in. Cleveland is just his second organization,” Hoynes noted.

While Ortiz’s story provides Friday’s headline, Saturday’s matchup is set to draw even more attention with Pirates’ rising star Paul Skenes on the mound. The 2023 first overall draft pick has made an immediate impact, compiling a remarkable record in his rookie season. “This will be the first time Cleveland gets a look at him,” Hoynes explained. “He started the All-Star game and finished third in Cy Young voting. You couldn’t ask for anything better from a rookie pitcher.”

Skenes, who is currently 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA in four starts, poses a formidable challenge for the Guardians hitters. “It’s going to be entertaining to see just what the plan is by the Cleveland hitters against Skenes, who is one of the most dominant pitchers in the game right now,” Hoynes added.

The hype surrounding Skenes is further amplified by his off-field celebrity status, as he is in a relationship with social media star Livvy Dunne. “It’s good to be Paul Skenes. You’re 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, first-round pick overall. You get to the big leagues in one year and you start the All-Star game. It doesn’t get much better than that,” Hoynes stated.

This weekend’s series promises to be filled with compelling narratives, emotional homecomings, and standout performances. Fans can catch all the action, along with analysis, by tuning into the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast.