As a 22-year-old rookie and having appeared in just 10 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates at the time of his National League All-Star selection, Paul Skenes has pitched his way into becoming the most watched MLB player in 2024. The numbers that tally up his success working from the mound are dazzling.
Well, Skenes isn’t a reliever. This is perhaps the only role he hasn’t added to his resume this season. All of his appearances have come as a starter in Pirates’ skipper Derek Shelton’s rotation. And, like clockwork, the budding phenom takes control of his games. The first six weeks of the MLB season, the Pirates dispatched Skenes to their Triple-A affiliate of the International League—the Indianapolis Indians. During his home debut pitching at Victory Field against the Memphis Redbirds, the Indians’ hurler reached 100 mph or more in 13 of 44 pitches thrown. From day one in the minors, Skenes was rapidly becoming one of the game’s premier starting pitchers—as was expected.
When getting the green light from Pittsburgh’s brain trust that their pitching prize was ready for the big time, Skenes didn’t disappoint. Being selected as the 2023 top draft pick in MLB’s annual draft, Skenes, and the $9,200,000 signing bonus that landed his name on a Pirates’ contract, showed the hometown folks in Western Pennsylvania that he was as good as advertised.
Before a capacity crowd of 34,924 at PNC Park, and all but 12 appearances in minor league challenges, the “Bonus Baby” was ready to deal. On May 11, facing the Chicago Cubs, Skenes led his club to a 10–9 win. The rest, since setting up shop in the Pirates’ clubhouse, remains a happy history in the making.
Through his 10 starts, and an undefeated 5-win-and-no-loss record, Skenes registered a staggering 2.12 ERA, and 78 strikeouts, all in 59.1 innings worked. Opposing clubs are hitting an anemic 0.221 against him. At times, it doesn’t seem fair how dominating Skenes’s fastball remains. During his debut, radar showed his fastball velocity averaged 100.1 mph.
In being welcomed to the National League All-Star club, Skenes became the first player selected first overall in the draft and to make the all-star club the following season. One exciting nugget that has Skenes the talk of both MLB leagues is that through his being first 10 games, he has yet to leave a game with his team trailing. Skenes has become as reliable as he is increasingly feared by opponents in the batter’s box, who are learning first-hand just what all the buzz is about surrounding him.
Skenes, who is among 32 first-time MLB All-Stars (teammate Bryan Reynolds, a second-time all-star, was also selected among the National League reserves), has longtime baseball executives and players shaking their heads in disbelief in how dominating his pitch selections continue to be. Clint Hurdle, special assistant to Colorado Rockies’ General Manager Bill Schmidt, who managed the Pirates for nine seasons and the Rockies for parts of eight seasons, is even overwhelmed at what he is witnessing of Skenes’s entrance into MLB stadiums.
“He is a generational pitcher. The young man’s intangibles are of the highest quality as well. The pitch shaping and velocities are elite. I haven’t seen this type of pitcher come along since Dwight Gooden.”
As Skenes makes his way about the Pirates’ clubhouse at PNC Park, he is just one of the guys. Quiet, and direct. Almost mechanical-like, the star of the 2023 College World Series where he was named the most outstanding player while appearing in two games throwing in 15 2/3 innings (243 pitches) as his LSU Tigers defeated Florida last June in Omaha, the rookie prepares for work. He is focused. Most importantly, Skenes is learning the rigors of the pro game. In nine of his 10 games, Skenes has rung up seven or more strikeouts.
While Shelton tells of there being a “different buzz” in the ballpark when he’s playing, another observer with Pirates’ Hall of Fame credibility paints a rosy picture of Skenes’ future working on Pittsburgh’s North Shore.
“Paul comes as advertised. He’s a power guy. Teams are leaning on his fastball,” former 1971 World Series Champion and Pittsburgh Pirates’ Hall of Famer Steve Blass told The Epoch Times this week. “But, Paul has been able to adjust on how to pitch to them. Those guys don’t see his fastball again. Paul has a whole bag of pitches to throw. He’s a power pitcher but Paul has learned how to pitch, and figured out to learn from previous pitches he’s thrown.”
As far as appearing on the grand stage of the all-star game at Globe Life Field in Arlington next Tuesday, Blass, who appeared in the 1972 MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta, thinks Skenes will handle the spotlight well.
“I think he’s for real. It’s rare that an MLB city is energized by pitching. Usually it’s the hitting, the home runs, that draw the crowds.”
Last weekend during a four-game home series with the New York Mets, Skenes opened with a pitching performance on Friday consistent with his work rate. With a sell-out crowd roaring during each of his seven-innings of work on July 5, Skenes was spoiling the Pirates’ faithful on Federal Street. By tossing 107 pitches, while only allowing four hits, two earned runs, two walks, and eight strikeouts, the rookie completely dominated New York hitters. And Pittsburgh cruised to a 14–2 victory over the Mets.
The spectacular has become the routine when Skenes is working. He is the future of the Pirates’ franchise, and perhaps to add even more credibility and value to the youngster from Fullerton, California, he is a star the MLB is rooting for to take his game and their brand to the next level.
