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1h ago

Paul Skenes Caps Sub-2.00 ERA Season, Sets Pirates Strikeout Mark in Final Start

His 1.97 ERA, 216 strikeouts and age-23 benchmarks position him as the NL Cy Young favorite despite a 10-10 record.

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Overview

  • In Cincinnati, the 23-year-old fired six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and four hits allowed before the bullpen blew a ninth-inning lead; Pittsburgh won 4-3 in 11.
  • He completed the year with 216 strikeouts across 187 2/3 innings and recorded his 211th K to set the Pirates’ single-season strikeout record for a right-handed pitcher.
  • He is the youngest qualified pitcher to post a sub-2.00 ERA since Dwight Gooden in 1985 and the first qualified pitcher to do so since Justin Verlander in 2022.
  • According to ESPN Research, he could be the first starter to win a Cy Young without a winning record, and his 10 wins would tie Jacob deGrom in 2018 for the fewest by a non-2020 winner.
  • Advanced metrics bolster his case, including an MLB-best 2.37 FIP and an NL-best 0.95 WHIP, and OptaSTATS notes no other pitcher has finished with a sub-2.00 ERA and 200+ strikeouts without a winning record.