Few starting pitchers have burst onto the MLB scene quite like Paul Skenes has. The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie has begun his big-league career by mowing down hitters and impressing thousands of bewildered and curious fans.
Although he's only started four MLB games to this point, Skenes looks like a polished veteran and seems more comfortable with each start. After allowing three runs across four innings in his Pirates debut, Skenes allowed three runs across 18 innings in his next three outings. That included 23 strikeouts and only three walks.
There are not a ton of MLB players who can be labeled as must-watch. Paul Skenes is one of those players though. MLB insider Jeff Passan served up some high praise for the Pirates right-hander on an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.
“If you could have anyone to throw Game 7 of the World Series right now, who would it be? He's in the conversation for sure,” Passan said. “I think he's already one of the best pitchers in baseball.”
Top prospects and first overall picks don’t always pan out but Skenes has lived up to the hype so far. Seeing what his numbers will be like at the end of the season will be a treat. He has a legitimate chance to represent the Pirates in the All-Star Game in July.
Paul Skenes using splinker pitch to dazzle hitters
A lot of star MLB pitchers over the years had a signature pitch that amazed audiences and fooled hitters for years. Not only can Paul Skenes throw in the upper 90s consistently, but he also has a unique strikeout pitch that is nearly unhittable.
Skenes throws a combination sinker and splitter known as a ‘splinker'. He used it to fan six batters in his latest start on Wednesday. He struck out nine in total, two shy of matching his career-high.
The splinker is a pitch Skenes tried to master in the minors earlier this year. It seems to be working just fine in the MLB and Skenes' confidence behind the pitch is growing.
“It’s a good pitch, and we were leaning on it today for sure,” Skenes said, per Steve Kornacki. “I had a good feel for it, and it was doing well. So, we kept throwing it.”
Skenes did not carry a heavy workload in the minors and has yet to go more than six innings with the Pirates. Yet his impact has been enormous and once the chains are taken off, Skenes could break out into a perennial Cy Young Award candidate.
The Pirates finally have brighter days ahead thanks to Paul Skenes. Pittsburgh has rallied around its new star and embraced him with open arms. It's easy to do when he's putting up the numbers he is.
This is just the beginning of Paul Skenes' MLB career and what a joy it will be to watch it unfold over the next decade-plus. Bearing witness to the opening act is a privilege for baseball fans nationwide.
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