Pirates Catcher Reveals What Makes Paul Skenes Great
Few have risen the ranks of best pitchers in baseball faster than Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes.
While his physical abilities jump off the tape every time he steps on the mound, there's more to Skenes' game than when he pitches every fifth day. Pirates catcher Joey Bart praised Skenes' work ethic and impact on the team.
"I haven't seen anything like this," Bart said. "I'm not even talking about what you guys see on the field. What he does off the field [and] what he does in the clubhouse [and] the preparation, in my opinion, there's nothing really going to stop him as long as he just stays the course and does what he does. The work ethic is out of control. I mean, it's unbelievable what he does day in and day out to stay on top of what he does."
Skenes had one of the best rookie seasons in MLB history en route to winning the National League Rookie of the Year and finishing third in the NL CY Young vote. Skenes went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts and set a Pirates franchise record for a rookie with 170 strikeouts over 133 innings pitched. Pittsburgh's ace was also the first pitcher in MLB history to have an ERA below 2.20, over 150 strikeouts in their first 21 games and the second pitcher since 1913 to have an ERA below 2.00 through their first 22 appearances.
Skenes was the first rookie pitcher to start an All-Star game since Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hideo Nomo in 1995. His stellar rookie season had MLB Network ranking him as the fourth-best pitcher in baseball heading into the 2025 season.
Bart also praised Skenes' ability to handle the moment and have fun every time he steps on the mound.
"When he goes out there on the field, you can tell he really does enjoy it, and he puts himself in that moment," Bart said. "He's the real deal, that's for sure."