Paul Skenes knew his time on the mound at Yankee Stadium would be brief, so he savored all 23 pitches, especially the encounters with New York stars Juan Soto and Aaron Judge that resulted in strikeouts.
“It’s cool,” Skenes remarked after ending an impressive rookie season by retiring six hitters in order in Pittsburgh’s 9-4 win over the Yankees on Saturday. “It’s not the first time I faced them. It’s definitely not going to be the last. So looking forward to the next time.”
At just 22 years old, the right-hander has emerged as a top contender for NL Rookie of the Year. Having started the All-Star Game, where he walked Soto and got Judge to ground into a forceout, Skenes finished the season with an 11-3 record and a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts over 133 innings—just 29 innings shy of qualifying for the National League ERA title. He struck out 170 and walked 32.
“We didn’t know if it was going to be perfect,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “I don’t think anybody did and I realize people are going to be critical because they wanted to see him. We wanted to make sure we ramped him up. Even today, we wanted to make sure that he finished the season strong, that he finished the season on the mound.”
Skenes’ ERA is the second-lowest for a rookie with at least 20 starts since ERA became an official statistic in both leagues in 1913, trailing only Reb Russell’s 1.90 for the Chicago White Sox that year.
“I didn’t really have a ton of expectations going into it, just to go out there every five or six days or whatever and execute whatever that looks like,” Skenes said. “So I don’t know what else I could have done, but definitely happy with how the season went.”
In a predetermined two-inning start, Skenes threw four pitches over 100 mph, completing the season with exactly 100 pitches of 100 mph or higher. Los Angeles Angels right-hander José Soriano is second among starting pitchers with 40.
Skenes becomes the first rookie pitcher with a sub-2.00 ERA and at least 23 starts in a season since Scott Perry for the 1918 Philadelphia Athletics.
“He’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball with the things he’s done,” Shelton said. “To have a sub-2.00 ERA in his first year and especially in today’s era, that’s pretty special. I think we’re seeing a guy that’s pretty elite, has the ability to make pitches and I think has room for growth.”
Skenes said the Pirates arrived in New York on Thursday night, the same night the Yankees clinched the AL East, and he hadn’t had the chance to check out Monument Park.
“I like New York,” Skenes noted. “The stadium’s just— it’s one of the destinations in baseball for sure, a place to cross off your bucket list, but cool to be out there and pitch and definitely going to keep checking it out tomorrow because it’s just a cool place to go out there and look up at when you’re in the outfield.”
With girlfriend and LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne in the stands, Skenes threw a 99.8 mph fastball on the high, outside corner that Soto took for a called third strike. Judge struck out swinging at an outside sweeper.
“He’s been one of the big stories in Major League Baseball this year, first pick, doesn’t break camp and ends up starting in the All-Star Game,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before the game. “A player that’s really, really kind of taken the league by storm and emerged as one of the game’s outstanding starters.”
Skenes threw 17 pitches for strikes, including 12 four-seam fastballs that averaged 99.4 mph. He ended his outing by getting a called third strike with a 99.6 mph fastball on the inside corner to Jazz Chisholm Jr. and was replaced by Mike Burrows, a 24-year-old right-hander who got the win in his major league debut.
San Diego outfielder Jackson Merrill is the other top Rookie of the Year contender, entering Saturday with a .292 average, 24 homers, 90 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases.
“That was awesome,” said Burrows, who underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2023. “He’s had such an unbelievable year. I think nobody’s more deserving of Rookie of the Year. He’s an incredible pitcher and I’m glad I could piggyback him today and get a win.”
