When you end up on a brief record with guys named “Ferdie” and “Rube,” you understand you might be doing one thing that has not been carried out in an extended, very long time.
(For the document, Ferdie Schnupp and Rube Foster each compiled their numbers within the early 1910s, proper within the top of the deadball period.)
Again on April 8, in his third begin of the season, Skenes had the worst begin of his professional profession when he allowed 5 earned runs in six innings.
In his 11 begins since then, he has allowed simply 12 earned runs complete and has a 1.51 ERA over that stretch.
Extra lately, in his previous six begins, he has allowed simply 4 earned runs (complete) and has not allowed a couple of in any of these particular person begins. He has a 0.86 ERA in these begins. 5 of these begins have been towards playoff groups from a 12 months in the past (Philadelphia twice, New York Mets, and Houston because the playoff groups, in addition to one begin towards Arizona).
So it’s not like he’s cruising towards sub-par groups. He’s doing this towards a few of the greatest groups in baseball.
Maybe essentially the most spectacular factor about Skenes to date in 2025 is that he’s not solely dominating, however he’s additionally doing so effectively. If there was one knock on him throughout his rookie season, it was that he had an inclination to rack up excessive pitch counts that prevented him from pitching deeper into some video games. He has not solely improved that to date this season, after Sunday’s begin, he’s averaging 6.5 innings per begin, tying him for the Main League lead (with Houston’s Framber Valdez) and placing him on high of the Nationwide League.
The one factor Skenes is lacking is extra wins.
Regardless of his dominance, he has simply 4 wins this season (he had a no-decision on Sunday), whereas the Pirates are solely 6-8 in his begins general. It’s a testomony to how dangerous the Pirates offense has been in his begins, and the way dangerous the offense has been general. It has not solely wasted what may very well be a Cy Younger-worthy season from Skenes but additionally a powerful season from their beginning rotation as a complete. Between Skenes, Mitch Keller, Andrew Heaney and Bailey Falter, the Pirates had had one of many higher and best beginning rotations within the league. They’re nonetheless in solely 26-40 and have one of many worst information in baseball.
They’ve the pitching, together with among the finest pitchers in baseball. They simply want some offense to enhance it.
