Pirates' Paul Skenes Receives Highest Rookie Grade
While the Pittsburgh Pirates have a multitude of question marks heading into this offseason, they've gotten an emphatic answer on who their ace is going to be for the foreseeable future.
Paul Skenes has been everything the Pirates organization and their fans could have hoped for and then some in his rookie season. With the success he has had thus far in his first season in the big leagues, Bleacher Report graded Skenes as an A+.
"Pittsburgh would be wise not to push Skenes too much in the waning weeks of the season given that it's out of the playoff race," Bleacher Report writes. "But whether he edges out Merrill to win the NL Rookie of the Year or not, the Pirates have a superstar in their rotation. Ownership should capitalize on that by spending in the offseason to take advantage of their window with the power righty."
Merrill was the only other rookie to receive an A+ from Bleacher Report.
Through 21 starts, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick is 10-3 with a 2.07 ERA and has struck out 158 batters in 126 innings pitched. Skenes' 158 strikeouts are the fourth-most by a rookie in MLB history through their first 21 starts, only trailing Kerry Wood, Mark Prior and Dwight 'Doc' Gooden.
For as good as Skenes has been, though, he could have even better stats if he had more run support. Two of his losses have come against the St. Louis Cardinals, and in both instances, he didn't allow more than two runs. On Monday, Skenes pitched six innings, allowed one run and struck out seven batters in a 4-0 loss.
With Skenes leading the pitching staff and fellow rookie right-hander Jared Jones also showing promise, Pittsburgh has a chance to have one of the league's best one-two punches for years to come. But if the Pirates are going to maximize having a pitcher of Skenes' caliber, they have to get him and the rest of the pitching staff more help for next season and beyond.
NATHANIEL MARRERO