SI

Pirates' Paul Skenes Struck Out Juan Soto, Aaron Judge in Stunning Sequence

This was just nasty.

Tim Capurso

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes pitches against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, September 28.
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes pitches against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, September 28. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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In the final start of his impressive rookie season, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes went out with a bang at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

Facing New York Yankees sluggers Juan Soto and Aaron Judge in the bottom of the first inning, the Pirates rookie put on a show.

First, he got the normally-patient Soto to foul off the first two pitches of the at-bat. On the fifth and final pitch of the at-bat, Skenes caught Soto looking with a wicked pitch on the black.

Then, facing the presumptive American League MVP in Judge, Skenes pounded the zone with a fastball and slider. After Judge took a ball and fouled off the fourth pitch, the Pirates rookie got Judge to chase a sweeper that broke out of the zone.

Truly impressive stuff.

Then, if that wasn't impressive enough, Skenes, who was pulled after two perfect innings, struck out Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. looking with perhaps his best pitch of the day—and his final one of the season.

How in the world are you supposed to get a hit off of this guy?

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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