Pirates' Paul Skenes Named Rookie of the Month
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes had a fantastic 2024, but also a great September, earning National League Rookie of the Month honors for his performance.
Another one.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) October 1, 2024
Paul Skenes has been named September's NL Rookie of the Month. pic.twitter.com/H7TzV4drjT
Skenes pitched in five games in September and allowed just two earned runs over 24.0 innings pitched for a 0.75 ERA. He also had 34 strikeouts and allowed just six walks and 16 hits during that time, while also holding opposing hitters to a .186 batting average and a .286 on-base percentage.
He also finished with a 3-1 record, defeating both the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 3 and the Cincinnati Reds on Sept. 22 on the road and taking down the Miami Marlins at home on Sept. 9.
His only loss came against the St. Louis Cardinals on the road on Sept. 16, in which he allowed just one earned run in 6.0 innings pitched, while making seven strikeouts.
Skenes had his best performances against the Reds, as he had nine strikeouts and allowed just two hits in 5.0 innings of work, and vs. the Marlins, where he also had nine strikeouts and allowed one earned run on six hits in 6.0 innings pitched.
He finished his season with three strikeouts on 23 pitches in two innings of work against the New York Yankees on Sept. 28 on the road, striking out All-Stars in outfielders Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.
This is the first National League Rookie of the Month Award for Skenes, who recently received Baseball America National League Rookie of the Year honors.
Skenes excelled following the Pirates calling him up in early May. He started 23 games, had a 1.96 ERA in 133.0 innings pitched, allowed just 29 earned runs, 94 hits, six home runs and 32 walks, while making 170 strikeouts and holding opposing hitting to a .198 batting average. He also had a 11.50 K/9 and a WHIP of 0.95.
He was the first member of the Pirates to start for the National League in the All-Star Game since Jerry Reuss did it in 1975, 49 years ago. He is also just the fifth rookie to start an All-Star game, with Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers doing so in 1995, en route to winning NL Rookie of the Year.
He starred at LSU in 2023, after transferring from Air Force. He had a 13-2 record in 19 starts, 1.69 ERA in 122.2 innings pitched, gave up just 23 earned runs and seven earned runs, while making 209 strikeouts to just 20 walks.
Skenes would enter the 2023 MLB Draft, where the Pirates took him with the No. 1 overall pick. He also signed with the franchise on a $9.2 million signing bonus, the highest ever given to a player.
