For the first time in a while, the Pittsburgh Pirates have the luxury of one of the best pitchers in baseball. When the Pirates drafted Paul Skenes with the first overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, they hoped he would turn into a franchise cornerstone. But the rate at which he has done so has been incredible.
Skenes made his major league debut last season, and it did not take long for him to become one of the best pitchers in baseball. He threw 133.0 innings with 170 strikeouts and a 1.96 ERA. So, what can we expect from Skenes in Year 2?
Paul Skenes Debuts New Pitch in Spring Game
In the hope of keeping hitters guessing, it seems Skenes added a new pitch to his repertoire this offseason. Skenes threw what looked to be a cutter in his first spring training start. Adding this cutter to his 100 mph fastball and devastating “splinker” will make life difficult for opposing hitters. You can assume many hitters will say, “That’s not fair,” once they face his new offering.
Paul Skenes, New Cutter? pic.twitter.com/T9pRvmxAjJ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 1, 2025
Skenes made a name for himself last season as one of the best strikeout pitchers in baseball. His 11.5 K/9 was the second-best in all of baseball among pitchers who threw at least 130 innings.
If healthy, there is no doubt Skenes should be in line for a 200+ strikeout season. The last Cy Young Pirates winner was Doug Drabek in 1990. Skenes is the favorite to win that award entering 2025 and has the potential to be one of the best pitchers in Pirates’ history.
Playoff Pirates?
It has been a rough decade for the Pirates. They have not made the playoffs since 2015 and have suffered a few awful seasons lately. Their 2024 season ended with only 76 wins and more disappointment for the fanbase. For the first time in a while, there seems to be some optimism surrounding the Pirates this season.
READ MORE: ‘Blow the Doors Off’ — Paul Skenes Trade Rumors Amplified by Former Big League Catcher
They have an impressive starting rotation with Skenes, followed by Jared Jones and Mitch Keller. They also have some quality hitters like Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz. While they likely will not be championship contenders, the Pirates should have a fun team.
Most Pirates fans would be happy with a return to the playoffs in 2025; Skenes having another dominant season could go a long way in helping them get there.
