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2h ago

Paul Skenes Finishes With 1.97 ERA and Pirates Right-Handed Strikeout Record

The 23-year-old's dominance heightens pressure on Pittsburgh's front office after a 69-89 season.

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Overview

  • In his final start, Skenes threw six scoreless innings with four hits and seven strikeouts in a no-decision as the Pirates beat the Reds 4-3 in 11 innings.
  • Skenes closed the year at 1.97 ERA with 216 strikeouts over 187⅔ innings and a 0.95 WHIP, setting the club’s single-season strikeout mark for a right-handed pitcher.
  • He is the first qualified pitcher with a sub-2.00 ERA since Justin Verlander in 2022 and the first at age 23 or younger since Dwight Gooden in 1985.
  • Skenes is widely viewed as the NL Cy Young frontrunner; with a 10-10 record, he could become the first starter to win the award without a winning record, according to ESPN Research.
  • Pittsburgh’s lack of offense persisted (3.4 runs of support per Skenes start) as fans push for upgrades, while Skenes’ season also drew viral attention to Olivia Dunne’s reactions and a strikeout-linked charity drive that surpassed its goals.