Skenes was named the 2024 National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year on Monday.
This award comes as no surprise for Skenes, who earned 23 first-place votes and seven second-place votes in a landslide victory. The flamethrower posted an eye-poping 1.96 ERA and 0.95 WHIP with 170 strikeouts over 23 starts (133.0 innings) during his rookie campaign. However, Skenes already has his sights on next season, per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I was super pleased with this year, going out there and competing. But there's more work to be done."
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Short outing to wrap up season
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Skenes fanned three over two perfect innings during Saturday's 9-4 win over the Yankees.
The 22-year-old phenom was limited to 23 pitches (17 strikes) in his final start of the season, but Skenes was still dominant. He's built his NL Rookie of the Year case with an 11-3 record, 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 170:32 K:BB through 133 innings, making his big-league debut May 11. Despite his youth and limited track record, Skenes' elite upside makes it likely he'll be one of the first pitchers off the board in 2025 fantasy drafts.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Fans nine in victory
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Skenes (11-3) pitched five shutout innings to pick up the win Sunday against Cincinnati, allowing two hits and zero walks while striking out nine.
Skenes was flawless outside of a pair of singles, racking up 25 called-plus-swinging strikes en route to nine strikeouts. Skenes threw a season-low 73 pitches Sunday after throwing 98 or more in each of his previous three starts. The 22-year-old is tentatively scheduled to start next weekend against the Yankees, but the Pirates are sure to be very cautious with their prized rookie in his final start of a lost season. If this is it, Skenes would finish a historic rookie season with a sparkling 1.99 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 167:32 K:BB in 131 innings (22 starts).
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Tagged with tough-luck loss
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Skenes (10-3) took the loss Monday against the Cardinals, allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out seven over six innings.
The Pirates failed to give Skenes any run support Monday, which spoiled an otherwise strong start by the rookie. Skenes continues to impress, as he now has 15 quality starts in his first 21 appearances. The 22-year-old has been fantastic as of late, allowing just four earned runs in his previous five starts combined. Skenes' ERA sits at a minuscule 2.07 with a 0.98 WHIP and 158 strikeouts through 126 innings.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Throws season-low 82 pitches
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Skenes did not factor into the decision in Wednesday's loss to the Cubs, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk while striking out six in five innings.
After some shakiness early, Skenes retired seven straight batters to keep the Cubs off the scoreboard in his final three innings. Skenes departed with a 10-3 lead, but the Pirates' bullpen fell apart in the 14-10 loss, keeping Skenes' record at 8-2. The 22-year-old rookie has slowed down ever so slightly in August, allowing multiple earned runs in four of five starts this month, pitching to a 3.18 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 33:10 K:BB in 28.1 innings. Of greater concern is Skenes' pitch count -- he threw a season-low 82 pitches Wednesday after throwing 87 his last time out. Pirates general manager Ben Cherington stated last week that Skenes is on an unspecified innings limit, making Skenes' workload difficult to project over the final month of the season.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Under unspecified innings limit
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General manager Ben Cherington acknowledged Sunday that there is a range of innings that the Pirates don't want Skenes to surpass this season, which could lead to the right-hander's starts becoming more abbreviated over the final month of the campaign, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
Cherington didn't offer up a firm number in terms of a potential innings limit for Skenes, but a workload-management plan already looks to be in place for the phenom rookie. As Stumpf notes, Skenes was lifted after six scoreless innings in his most recent outing Thursday against the Reds, despite having thrown just 87 pitches while exhibiting no signs of wearing down. The 87 pitches were Skenes' fewest in a start since his MLB debut back on May 11, and a workload around that level could become the norm for the 22-year-old down the stretch if the Pirates choose not to shut him down. Across his 17 starts in the majors, his seven starts at Triple-A Indianapolis and his two Grapefruit League appearances, Skenes has thrown 134.1 innings in 2024. He covered 129.1 innings in 2023 between his college season at LSU and his brief time in the minors upon getting selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Dazzles again in eighth victory
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Skenes (8-2) earned the win over Cincinnati on Thursday, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out nine batters over six scoreless innings.
Skenes gave up a walk and a single in the first inning but came out of the frame unscathed on the scoreboard. He was absolutely dominant thereafter, yielding only one more baserunner, who was wiped out on a subsequent double play. Recent conversations in the Pittsburgh organization have centered on shortening Skenes' outings at some point moving forward, but it's not clear if that was a consideration Wednesday, as the rookie phenom was pulled after six frames despite a modest 87 pitches -- his fewest since his MLB debut May 11. Regardless, Skenes has been efficient and excellent enough to be an elite fantasy option even with a slightly reduced workload. He now has a 2.16 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 130:25 K:BB over 104 innings covering 17 starts.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Outings could be shortened
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The Pirates currently have no plans to shut Skenes down but are considering shortening his starts, Ken Rosenthal, Stephen J. Nesbitt and Zack Meisel of The Athletic report.
Skenes has thrown 125.1 innings this season between the majors and minors, which is just a few innings shy of how many he threw in 2023 between college and the minors. With the Pirates' playoff odds looking remote, it could make sense to tap the brakes a bit on Skenes' workload. When/if the team implements Skenes' innings restrictions and whether it would announce it beforehand isn't clear, creating some potential headaches for fantasy managers. While a full shutdown currently looks unlikely, the report notes that the Pirates have a possible incentive to shut Skenes down, as the pitcher would earn an additional year of service time if he finishes first or second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting, resulting in him reaching free agency a year earlier.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Season-high four walks in win
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Skenes (7-2) picked up the win in Friday's 5-3 victory over the Mariners, giving up two runs on three hits and four walks over six innings. He struck out six.
Despite a season high in walks, the rookie right-hander still came away with his 12th quality start in 16 trips to the mound for Pittsburgh. Skenes' workload in his first full professional season may be catching up to him -- he's walked 11 batters and hit two more with pitches over his last four starts and 23.1 innings -- but the 22-year-old has still produced a solid 3.47 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 9.3 K/9 over that stretch. He lines up to make him next start at home next week against the Reds, and the Pirates could move to a six-man rotation over the final weeks of the year in order to provide young arms like Skenes and Jared Jones (lat) some extra rest.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Saddled with first loss
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Skenes (6-1) took the loss Tuesday against the Cardinals, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out eight over 8.1 innings.
It was an unfortunate way for Skenes to take his first loss in the majors -- the right-hander held St. Louis to one run on a Nolan Arenado solo homer through eight dominant innings. Skenes would come out for the ninth, making a bid for his first complete game, but Michael Siani led off the frame with a double before eventually scoring on an Alec Burleson hit. Despite the disappointing finish, it was another stellar outing overall for the 22-year-old rookie -- Skenes has held opponents to two runs or fewer in each of his last seven outings while logging seven or more strikeouts in 11 of his 12 starts this season. His ERA sits at a pristine 1.93 with a 0.87 WHIP and 97:13 K:BB across 74.2 innings. Skenes is currently lined up to face the Astros on the road in his next outing.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Twirls seven no-hit innings
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Skenes (6-0) picked up the win Thursday against Milwaukee, allowing no hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch with 11 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings.
Skenes' excellent rookie season got even better Tuesday, as he tied his career high in strikeouts and logged his second hitless start. He finished the outing by retiring 16 consecutive batters and allowed a baserunner in only the second inning. The 22-year-old is undefeated through 11 appearances and has generated a quality start in nine of his last 10 outings. Skenes will enter the All-Star break with a 1.91 ERA and 89 strikeouts across 66.1 innings.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Continues to dominate
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Skenes allowed one run on six hits and two walks while striking out nine batters over six innings in a no-decision against Atlanta on Saturday.
Skenes surrendered a leadoff homer to Jarred Kelenic on his third pitch of the game, but that was the only run the talented rookie allowed. The right-handed hurler matched opposing ace Max Fried with a six-inning, six-hit, one-run line, though Skenes was more dominant with 13 whiffs and nine punchouts. Skenes has gotten stronger as he's settled into life in the big leagues. He's tossed four straight quality starts, posting a minuscule 1.07 ERA along with a 32:4 K:BB over 25.1 innings during that span.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Fans nine in second win
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Skenes (2-0) picked up the win in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader split with the Tigers, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out nine.
After the Pirates got blanked 8-0 by Tarik Skubal and the Tigers in the opener, Skenes made sure his squad wouldn't get swept as he generated 19 swinging strikes among his 96 pitches in a dominant performance. The rookie right-hander has reeled off three straight quality starts after lasting just four innings in his big-league debut May 11, and Skenes will carry a 2.45 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 30:5 K:BB through 22 innings into his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Dodgers.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Another strong outing
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Skenes didn't factor into the decision Thursday against the Giants, allowing one run on six hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out three.
While Thursday's outing wasn't as dominant as Skenes' 11-strikeout performance in his previous start, the rookie right-hander was still effective, coaxing a pair of key double-play balls to limit the Giants to just one run and post his second straight quality start. However, the Pirates bullpen would implode late, leaving Skenes with a no-decision in an eventual 7-6 loss. Skenes now sports a 2.25 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP and an impressive 21:4 K:BB through his first three starts (16 innings). He's currently in line for a road matchup with the Tigers in his next outing.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Set for big-league debut
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Skenes' contract was purchased from Triple-A Indianapolis ahead of his big-league debut Saturday against the Cubs.
Skenes is the best pitching prospect to come along in over a decade, and his big-league debut is as highly anticipated as any pitching prospect's debut in recent memory. The big 6-foot-6 righty not only had the best statistical performance of any starter in the minors this year, but he has the best pure stuff as well. Skenes logged a 0.99 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, a 42.9 percent strikeout rate and a 7.6 percent walk rate in 27.1 innings at Triple-A. He has averaged just under five innings per start over his last three starts, but after throwing 129.1 innings in 2023, he should be able to push toward 160 total innings this year with good health.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Next outing will be at Triple-A
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Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Monday that Skenes is scheduled to make another start with Triple-A Indianapolis this week, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
Skenes' last start with Indianapolis was his first this season on regular rest, and he wasn't as dominant as he had been, yielding two runs on three hits and a 4:2 K:BB over 4.1 innings. He threw 66 pitches in the outing. The top prospect's major-league debut should be coming sooner rather than later, but the Pirates have opted to give him at least one more start in the minors. Skenes boasts a 0.99 ERA and 45:8 K:BB across 27.1 frames in 2024.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Ramps up to 65 pitches
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Skenes allowed one hit and two walks while striking out eight across 3.1 scoreless innings in a start with Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.
Skenes has yet to record more than 10 outs in a start this season, but he did increase his pitch count to 65. He was a bit wild with only 37 of his pitches finding the zone, though he still generated 11 whiffs. For the season, Skenes has thrown 12.2 shutout innings while maintaining a 27:4 K:BB.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Reassigned to minor-league camp
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The Pirates reassigned Skenes to minor-league camp Sunday.
Pirates GM Ben Cherington announced in early March that Skenes would be beginning the season in the minors, and his run in big-league camp has now come to a close. The 2023 first overall pick quickly made his way through the minor-league system last year and will begin 2024 at Double-A Altoona or Triple-A Indianapolis. If he continues to live up to his prospect pedigree, Skenes could make his MLB debut for the Pirates this summer.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Back on bump Thursday
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Skenes (illness) is scheduled to start Thursday in the Pirates' Spring Breakout game against the Orioles, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
The Pirates scratched Skenes ahead of his previous Grapefruit League start this past Saturday versus the Tigers, but he'll be back on the hill five days later to take on an Orioles lineup featuring a deep stable of prospects headlined by infielder Jackson Holliday. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft, Skenes is set to begin the campaign at Double-A Altoona or Triple-A Indianapolis but could reach the big leagues at some point this season if he proves to be unfazed by opposing hitters in the upper levels of the minors.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Scratched from Saturday's game
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Skenes will not pitch in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers due to an illness, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Skenes has appeared in two games -- including one start -- in spring training and has allowed one run on three hits while striking out three over three innings. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick will return to Grapefruit League action once he's shaken off his illness. He will begin the season in the minors.
