In a surprising turn of events, Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates faced a challenging outing against the Chicago Cubs, marking his first experience of allowing three home runs in a game. The fifth inning was particularly brutal, with Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker, and Seiya Suzuki each sending balls over the fence, contributing to Skenes' departure after five innings of play. This performance stood in stark contrast to his previous season, where he had only given up one home run in his first 37 ⅔ innings. Despite the setback, Skenes has shown significant promise in his rookie season, boasting a 2.06 ERA and a strong strikeout-to-walk ratio. However, this game revealed vulnerabilities that could affect his future outings.

The Pirates, currently struggling with a 12-19 record, find themselves at the bottom of the NL Central. The team's performance is compounded by the struggles of their young star pitcher, who, despite a stellar track record, must now navigate the psychological effects of this challenging start. As Skenes learns from this experience, both he and the Pirates will need to recalibrate and strategize moving forward to improve their standings in the league.

In a startling performance, Paul Skenes had the worst outing of his young career against the Chicago Cubs, allowing three home runs in a single inning and walking four batters. This marked a significant drop in his command, as he only threw 49 strikes among 86 pitches. The reigning National League Rookie of the Year, who had recently dominated the Los Angeles Dodgers, struggled to find his rhythm and finished the game with only two strikeouts, the lowest in his career.

Despite entering the game with a league-leading WHIP of 0.80 and an impressive FIP of 1.75, Skenes raised his ERA from 2.39 to 2.74 after this game. His fastball average dipped to 97.5 mph, and he recorded a notable drop in spin rates for both his splitter and slider. The Cubs appeared to have a clear advantage, hitting home runs from key players like Dansby Swanson and Seiya Suzuki. This performance raises questions about Skenes' consistency and adaptability as the season progresses.

Thursday brings a mix of MLB action for daily fantasy sports enthusiasts, with a split schedule featuring both afternoon and evening games. Key pitchers to target include Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who has displayed dominant form with a 2.39 ERA and a recent shutout performance against the Dodgers. Matthew Liberatore from the St. Louis Cardinals is another solid choice against a struggling Cincinnati Reds lineup. In the evening, Casey Mize from the Detroit Tigers stands out with his impressive 2.12 ERA and a matchup against the underperforming Angels. Justin Verlander, despite his winless start, has shown improvement recently and could be a value play against the Rockies.

Infielders to consider for the early slate include Elly De La Cruz of the Reds, who has been hot at the plate, and Edouard Julien of the Minnesota Twins, benefiting from a favorable matchup. For the night slate, Rafael Devers of the Boston Red Sox is heating up and can exploit his matchup against Jose Berrios. Bo Bichette from the Toronto Blue Jays is also an intriguing option against Tanner Houck.

The outfield offers elite plays like George Springer of the Blue Jays and value options such as Oneil Cruz from the Pirates, who has shown explosive potential. Stacking the Minnesota Twins in the early slate and the Toronto Blue Jays in the evening could maximize scoring potential. Monitoring weather updates and lineup changes will be crucial for optimizing your DFS entries today.

On May 1, Paul Skenes takes the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates as they host the Chicago Cubs in a deciding game of their three-game series. With the teams splitting the first two contests, expectations are high, especially after Skenes' impressive recent form, boasting a 2.39 ERA and an eye-popping 39 strikeouts over 37.2 innings. On the other side, Cubs' Colin Rea, with a stellar 0.96 ERA, aims to continue his team's recent success on the road against teams with sub-.500 records.

Andrew McCutchen led the Pirates in their last victory with two RBIs, contributing to a narrow 4-3 win. The Pirates are favored in this matchup, with a moneyline of -159, while the Cubs sit at +134. Bettors should take note of recent trends: the Cubs have won four of their last five road games against losing teams, and the total runs line is set at 7.0, inviting potential over betting.

Pittsburgh Pirates' top pitching prospect, Bubba Chandler, has been performing exceptionally in the minors, solidifying his status as a key addition for the team this summer. After a strong performance in spring training, Chandler, who was ranked as the Pirates' No. 1 prospect and No. 17 overall in baseball, recorded impressive stats across Double-A and Triple-A. Currently, he boasts a 1.33 ERA in Triple-A with 27 strikeouts in just over 20 innings pitched. His recent five-inning shutout performance showcases his potential. Given the Pirates' rotation struggles, particularly with Carmen Mlodzinski, a call-up for Chandler appears imminent, possibly as early as May.