Paul Skenes has been the best rookie in baseball this season and it continues to show.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have been elevated by the arrival of Skenes to the majors this season, as every start he makes feels like an advantage. The 2023 first-overall pick has made 14 starts thus far and he remains nearly unhittable.
Through the 14 starts, Skenes has posted a 1.99 ERA to go along with 107 strikeouts, a 0.94 WHIP, and an .202 opponent average against. When he takes the mound, he’s performing better than a rookie — he’s a clear ace out there.
The 22-year-old made the first start of his career on May 11 and has only improved as the season has gone on. It’s showing, as his dominance has really kicked in since July 1.
MLB.com’s Kenny Van Doren released MLB Pipeline’s Rookie Hot List for July, and to no surprise, Skenes topped the list at No. 1. The first list was released in May, and the Pirates’ starter wasn’t even ranked. Now he sits at the top and it’s because of his pure dominance on the bump.
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“From starting the All-Star Game for the National League to continuing a dominant rookie campaign, Skenes flew up the hot list after having just two big league starts under his belt last go-around,” Van Doren wrote. “The 2023 first overall pick posted a 1.87 ERA — the best among rookie starting pitchers with at least 16 innings in this stretch — and an 0.80 WHIP across his past five starts for the Pirates, collecting 37 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings.”
Skenes will look to continue his Rookie of the Year campaign in his next start, which is expected to come in the upcoming weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Featured image via Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports