Skenes closed the 2024 season with 170 strikeouts and a 1.96 ERA in 133 innings.
Paul Skenes is the greatest Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher I’ve ever seen. He might be the greatest pitcher I’ve ever seen. Yeah, he’s the best pitcher I’ve ever seen.
Skenes wrote his name into MLB history books once against Saturday as he capped off an NL Rookie of the Year-worthy campaign Saturday against the AL’s best team.
Baseball’s most polarizing rookie shut out baseball’s most polarizing franchise through two innings of work in a 9-4 victory against the New York Yankees.
Skenes struck out Juan Soto looking, and Aaron Judge swinging in the first inning and dropped his ERA to an incredible 1.96, the lowest of any rookie in baseball history with 133 innings.
He struck out three and finished 2024 with 170 punchouts, fifth most by a starting pitcher since 1901, with a minimum of 22 appearances. Skenes sits behind Hideo Nomo (194), Kerry Wood (193), Mark Prior (172), and Dwight Gooden (171). Pretty, pretty good.
Continuing to etch his name in the record books.
Paul Skenes has the fifth-most strikeouts by a pitcher in their first 22 career appearances since 1901. pic.twitter.com/i8F5pBaOQ8
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 28, 2024
Skenes also totaled a .198 opponent batting average, the lowest ever by a Pirates pitcher with a minimum of 16 starts under their belt.
An even more stunning stat? Skenes posted a 0.75 ERA over 25 September innings. Insane. Skenes holds the lowest ERA not just by a rookie in either the AL or NL but also by a Pirates starter in the Live Ball Era, dating back to 1920.
#Pirates Paul Skenes finishes with a 1.96 ERA, lowest by a AL/NL rookie starter in the Live Ball Era
(min. 18 starts)
— Joe Block (@joe_block) September 28, 2024
Skenes is the favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year in a tight race against San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill. The last and only Pirate to win the award was Jason Bay in 2004. No Pirates pitcher has ever claimed the award and Skenes has a chance to break ANOTHER record once the 162nd game is played on Sunday.