A stellar rookie campaign for the Pittsburgh Pirates starter continues with his latest accolade.
Paul Skenes was the talk of Major League Baseball throughout the 2024 season, having dominated batters in each start and putting together a stat line that earned him the start in the MLB All-Star Game — and potentially more.
The more came true on Thursday when Skenes was announced as a part of the 2024 All-MLB First Team with the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Bobby Witt Jr. The 22-year-old is among five starters making the team, joined by the Atlanta Braves’ Chris Sale, Detroit Tigers’ Tarik Skubal, Philadelphia Phillies’ Zack Wheeler, and the Baltimore Orioles’ Corbin Burnes.
Skenes pitched his way to an 11-3 record through 23 starts, piecing together a 1.96 ERA while striking out 170 batters. He also had a 0.95 WHIP, 2.44 FIP, 33.1% strikeout rate, and 4.3 fWAR. It was consistent dominance for the Pirates starter, who is now getting the accolades to show for his impressive rookie campaign.
The Pirates ace will now await his fate when it comes to the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards, which he has finished as a finalist for.
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Featured image via Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK