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Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes is possibly the biggest, if not one of the biggest, supporters of members of the US military among active MLB players.
So it meant a lot to him to represent Team USA at the World Baseball Classic.
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Pitcher Paul Skenes #30 of Team USA throws during a practice at Papago Park Sports Complex on March 2, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
“First of all, I don’t care because I’m from America. I love America. I’ve seen the WBCs in the past and there’s no bigger stage or no bigger honor than wearing the USA across your chest,” he said Monday on MLB Network.
“And I think the second one I went to the Air Force Academy for two years. Wanted to serve. I intended to serve and ended up transferring to LSU. Won a national championship there, did some cool things there. But there was a big part of me that was fully committed to serving in the military as a career after college. So this is, but it’s not a service.”
For the past two MLB seasons, Skenes has pitched for a cause bigger than wins, losses or Cy Young Awards. He teamed up with the Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF) for a strike campaign. For every strikeout Skenes throws this season, he pledged to donate $100 to the organization. The foundation has helped expand service efforts by providing additional fundraising and outreach to the military, veteran and first responder communities.
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) watches from the dugout during the sixth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. (Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Skenes had 216 strikeouts last season and won the National League Cy Young Award for the first time.
He made it clear last week that he is pitching in the World Baseball Classic to honor the men and women of the military.
“That’s what we do it for,” Skenes told The Athletic. “This is the greatest country in the world. That’s what I believe. That’s why I wanted to serve, why I went to the Air Force Academy. And those people don’t get the recognition they deserve.
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws a pitch in the second inning against the Atlanta Braves during spring training at CoolToday Park on Feb. 25, 2026. (Jonathan Dyer/Imagn Images)
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“We do it to represent the men and women who fight for us, along with many other things that make this country the greatest country in the world. It kind of puts it into perspective.”
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