Paul Skenes needed nearly three innings to warm up, then struck out six over seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 at George M.

Falling behind early isn’t ideal when your team is facing last year’s NL Rookie of the Year. There’s not much margin for error.

This story was excerpted from Adam Berry’s Rays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The only thing that flustered Paul Skenes on Wednesday was getting asked about his photo spread with girlfriend Livvy Dunne in GQ magazine.

It should be noted that one Yankee declined to use the torpedo bat. Aaron Judge said he was more comfortable with conventional lumber, which is what he used to blast four home runs in 11 at bats. The Brewers finally gave up and walked him intentionally — with the bases empty.

Preview the April 2 matchup between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays with recent trends, how to watch, livestream info, and more.

Today is the first day of the season that all 30 MLB clubs are playing, a joyous occasion for baseball fans. For Pittsburgh Pirates fans, it's always a special