Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes has made a remarkable impact in his first two months in Major League Baseball, living up to the high expectations set since being the first overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Despite starting the 2024 season in the minors, his performance has earned him a spot in the MLB All-Star game.
On Monday, Skenes delivered an outstanding performance, pitching seven no-hit innings to secure a 1-0 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers. This was the second time he achieved this feat, having also done it in his second MLB start against the Chicago Cubs on May 17.
Skenes’ accomplishments draw comparisons to legendary pitcher Nolan Ryan. His success may even lead to him starting for the National League in the upcoming All-Star Game.
Here are some standout statistics from Skenes’ first two months, provided by FOX Sports Research:
.157: Opposing batters have hit just .157 against Skenes’ split-finger fastball since his debut on May 11, despite it being one of the most frequently thrown pitches. His splitter averages 94.1 mph, the highest among all starters.
1: Skenes is the only modern-era rookie with multiple 6-plus inning no-hit games.
1.90: His ERA stands at 1.90, making him one of only two starters with an ERA under two, having started at least 10 games this season.
2: Skenes is the second player since 1906 to have multiple starts with six innings pitched, no hits, and 11 strikeouts in a single season. Nolan Ryan achieved this in 1973 during his sixth MLB season.
4: He is the fourth pitcher since 2000 to pitch over 50 innings, allow fewer than 15 runs, and maintain a K/9 rate of 12 or higher through his first 11 starts. The others are Pedro Martinez, Shane Bieber, and Jacob DeGrom.
5: Skenes is the fifth rookie to start an All-Star Game and the youngest since Dwight Gooden in 1986.
7: He has recorded seven or more strikeouts in eight consecutive starts, setting a Pirates’ franchise record. Only Dwight Gooden and Frank Tanana had longer streaks at age 22 or younger.
11: Skenes is the only National League pitcher with multiple starts of over 10 strikeouts since May 17.
12.01: His strikeouts per nine innings rate is 12.01, the second-highest among starters with at least 10 starts this season.
15: He is the only pitcher this season to allow fewer than 15 runs over his first 11 starts.
42: Skenes has struck out 42 batters the first time through the order, more than any other pitcher since his debut.
82%: He has delivered a quality start in 82% of his outings, the highest in baseball this season for pitchers with at least 10 starts.
89: Skenes has 89 strikeouts in his first 11 career starts, four more than Nolan Ryan had in the same span and the most in the majors since May 11.
99.1: His fastball averages 99.1 mph, the highest among MLB pitchers with at least 100 fastballs thrown since his call-up.
1919: If Skenes finishes the season with an ERA under 2.00, he would be the first Pirates starter to do so since Babe Adams in 1919.
Follow Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates as they continue their impressive season.