Paul Skenes knew his appearance on the mound at Yankee Stadium would be short, so he enjoyed every one of his 23 pitches, especially when he faced New York stars Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, both of whom he struck out.
“It’s cool,” Skenes said after finishing a strong rookie season by retiring six batters in a row during Pittsburgh’s 9-4 victory 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.”
A strong candidate for NL Rookie of the Year, the 22-year-old right-hander started the All-Star Game, where he walked Soto and got Judge to hit into a forceout.
Skenes ended the season with an 11-3 record and a 1.96 ERA over 23 starts and 133 innings, which is 29 innings short of qualifying for the National League ERA title. He struck out 170 batters 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 ensure 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 the ERA became an official statistic in both leagues in 1913, surpassed only by Reb Russell’s 1.90 for the Chicago White Sox in 1913.
“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 I’m definitely happy with how the season went.”
In a planned two-inning start, Skenes threw four pitches that went over 100 mph, finishing with exactly 100 pitches of that speed this season. Los Angeles Angels right-hander José Soriano is second among starters with 40.
Skenes is the first rookie pitcher to have a sub-2.00 ERA and at least 23 starts in a season since Scott Perry for the 1918 Philadelphia Athletics, according to STATS.
“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, 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 mentioned that 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 see Monument Park yet.
“I like New York,” Skenes said. “The stadium’s just — it’s one of the destinations in baseball for sure, a place to cross off your bucket list, but it’s cool to be out there and pitch, and I’m definitely going to keep checking it out tomorrow because it’s just a cool place to look up at when you’re in the outfield.”
With his girlfriend, LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, watching from 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 a sweeper that was outside.
“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 finished 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 earned the win in his major league debut.
San Diego outfielder Jackson Merrill is another top contender for Rookie of the Year, entering Saturday with a .292 average, 24 homers, 90 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases.
“That was awesome,” said Burrows, who had 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.”
