Where Pirates Ace Paul Skenes Ranks Among NL Cy Young Contenders

Simply the best.

MLB.com is out with its latest predictions for this season’s Cy Young Awards. In the National League, it’s a no-brainer: Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes.

The Pittsburgh ace received 32 first-place votes while Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler came in a distant second with two first-place votes. Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto ranked third while also receiving two first-place votes.

Yamamoto had topped MLB.com’s previous Cy Young ranking. So why the change?

“Buoyed by a wicked seven-pitch mix, Skenes looks even nastier than he did during his historic rookie season,” MLB.com’s Jared Greenspan wrote. “After holding the Phillies to one run across 7 2/3 innings on Sunday, the right-hander has allowed one run or fewer in six consecutive starts, pitching into the eighth inning on three occasions. He leads qualified NL starters in WHIP (0.84) and batting average against (.173), while his ERA (1.88) trails only Kodai Senga (1.59).”

Skenes has given up no more than one run in each of his last six starts, good for a 0.85 ERA during that span.

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the 23-year-old has not surrendered more than six hits in any of his 37 career starts while posting a gaudy 1.88 ERA. While the Pirates are 21-16 when Skenes gets the ball, he has just 15 wins to his credit.

This season, Skenes has been saddled with four no-decisions. But in each of those games, he pitched at least 5 1/3 innings and gave up no more than two earned runs.

The phenom returns to the mound Friday for a matinee against the Cubs in the second game of a four-game series at Wrigley Field. The game will be broadcast nationally by MLB Network.

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