Pittsburgh has waited a long time for a reason to buy a pitcher's jersey. Then Paul Skenes showed up throwing triple digits with a splinter that breaks the wrong way, started an All-Star Game in his rookie season, and turned every fifth day at PNC Park into an event. Demand for a Paul Skenes jersey has followed the same curve, and it has not slowed down.
This guide covers the versions we carry, which one makes sense as a first buy, and how the Pirates black alternate stacks up against the home whites. There is also a note on youth and toddler sizing at the end, because a lot of these end up as gifts.
Why a pitcher's jersey suddenly makes sense in Pittsburgh
Pitcher jerseys are usually a hard sell. Position players are on the field every day, so their names stay in front of you; a starter shows up once a week. Skenes broke that rule because his starts became appointment viewing almost immediately. Being the first rookie pitcher in decades to start an All-Star Game does that, and so does the sound the crowd makes at PNC Park when the radar gun lights up.
For Pirates fans there is also a generational thing happening. The franchise has spent long stretches selling nostalgia, and the jersey wall in most Pittsburgh closets skews toward the past — which is exactly why our Roberto Clemente Pirates jersey guide stays one of the most-read pieces we publish. Skenes is the first pitcher in a while worth putting next to those.
The black alternate: the one most people want first
If you are buying one Skenes jersey, this is it. The black alternate with gold lettering is the strongest-looking uniform the Pirates own, and it is the version you see most in the stands on a Skenes start. Black hides wear better than white, the gold reads clearly at distance, and it works as regular clothing in a way the home whites do not.
The home whites, and the patch version worth knowing about
The white home jersey is the traditional pick and the right answer if you go to day games at PNC Park. Pittsburgh's white-and-gold combination is one of the cleanest in the National League, and it photographs well against the Clemente Bridge backdrop everyone takes pictures in front of.
There is a second white option worth comparing before you commit. The plain white version is the everyday one; the patch version carries the extra commemorative detail on the sleeve, which collectors tend to prefer and casual wearers tend not to care about. Both fit the same. The patch is purely a question of whether you want the detail.
If you already own a Pirates white and are looking to add rather than replace, the second white in the lineup below is the one to compare cut-for-cut before deciding. Fans who did the same exercise with our Andrew McCutchen Pirates jersey breakdown usually end up splitting the difference: one white, one black, done.
Buying for kids: youth and toddler sizing
A large share of Skenes orders are gifts, and a good share of those are for kids. Toddler and youth jerseys use the same colorways as the adult versions, so a parent-and-child matching pair is easy to put together — the toddler black alternate below pairs directly with the adult black.
One practical note on kids' sizing: youth jerseys run closer to fitted than the adult baseball cut does. If the child is between sizes or mid-growth-spurt, take the larger one. A jersey that is slightly big reads as normal on a kid at a ballgame; one that is slightly small stops getting worn by August.
Sizing and care
Adult jerseys use standard American sizing with a relaxed baseball cut, so go by chest measurement rather than the letter on the tag. Stay at your normal size for the fitted look players wear. Go one size up if you plan to layer a hoodie under it, which you will want for April and late-September night games in Pittsburgh.
Care is the part people skip and then regret. Wash cold, inside out, gentle cycle, and skip fabric softener — it coats the fabric and dulls the color over time. Hang dry instead of using the dryer, because heat is what loosens stitched twill numbers and lifts heat-applied lettering. Never iron directly over a number or a nameplate. Handled that way, a jersey stays sharp through several seasons instead of going soft at the edges after one.
Which one to buy
Short version: black alternate if you want the best-looking jersey the Pirates have and only plan to own one. White home if you go to day games or already own a black. Patch version if you care about the detail. Toddler or youth if it is a gift, sized up rather than exact.
Worth noting that jersey shopping for a young star carries a different calculation than it does for a veteran — the same tension we walked through in our Pete Alonso Mets jersey guide, where a fan's second jersey usually says more about them than the first.
Want to see the rest of the black and gold? Browse the full Pittsburgh Pirates jersey collection for every player, colorway, and size we carry, from toddler through adult.
