Pirates' Paul Skenes 'A Different Human Being'
It didn't take long for Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes to live up to the expectations that come with being a generational prospect.
Skenes won the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year and finished third for the NL Cy Young Award, making him just the fifth rookie in MLB history to finish in the top three for the award. Now, with his rookie year in the books, the training wheels are set to come off for Skenes in 2025 and Pirates manager Derek Shelton believes his ace is more than ready for the challenge next season.
"He's built that way," Shelton said on MLB Network. "I mean, we're dealing with a different human being. I mean, this guy [is] 6'6, he's big, he's strong [and] he's physical. I think the way he prepares and is diligent about his work is the thing that's most impressive. He's 22 years old. This guy's got a thirst to learn. He's got a thirst to get better. That's really important. I mean, what he did this year was historic."
Skenes went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA, which is the lowest ERA for a rookie since 1912. He also set a Pirates rookie record with 170 strikeouts over his 133 innings pitched and became the first rookie pitcher to start an All-Star Game since Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Hideo Nomo in 1995.
There were also multiple occasions where Skenes forced Shelton's hand with his performances as a rookie. The Pirates right-hander had two outings where he left the mound with a no-hitter intact, but the franchise's cautious approach with their star rookie led to him being taken out of the game.
Skenes pitched six innings and struck out 11 batters while walking just one on May 17 against the Chicago Cubs before getting pulled after 100 pitches. He one-upped that performance on July 11 against the Milwaukee Brewers, pitching seven no-hit innings and striking out 11 batters and allowing one walk before he was taken out of the game after he threw 99 pitches.
Shelton noted the difficulty of having to take Skenes out of those games and how those conversations likely won't get any easier. But if those conversations consistently arise for Shelton with Skenes in 2025, that's a problem he's more than willing to deal with.
"It's very hard to go have those conversations," Shelton said. "I think last year, he understood it a little bit more because we were very diligent about what the innings were going to be and how we were going to do it. I think it's going to get harder moving forward, but I'll tell you what, man, if he puts us in that spot, or puts me in that spot, I'll take that all day long."
