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Paul Skenes has built an impressive resume in just two major league seasons. The Pittsburgh Pirates added to his list of accolades on Wednesday.
Skenes was named the unanimous National League Cy Young award winner, earning all 30 first-place votes. Phillies pitcher Christopher Sanchez finished second, earning all 30 second-place votes, while Dodgers hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto was third in the balloting.
Skenes became the third player in Pirates history to win the Cy Young, joining Vern Law (1960) and Doug Drabek (1990). He is the fifth pitcher to win the award in his second major league season, joining Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Dwight Gooden and Bret Saberhagen (1985) and Tim Lincecum (2008).
Paul Skenes has been dominant for Pittsburgh Pirates, but that has not been enough
The 2024 NL Rookie of the Year dazzled in his sophomore season. He led the majors with a 1.97 ERA and a 0.948 WHIP over his 187.2 innings, striking out 216 batters with 42 walks. Skenes has not just cemented his status as the Pirates unquestioned ace, but as one of the best pitchers in baseball.
His dominance has not been enough. Skenes had a disappointing 10-10 record as the Pirates scored just 108 runs in his 32 starts in 2025.The Pirates scored two or fewer runs in 12 of his starts and were shut out five times. Skenes had to be nearly perfect to earn a victory, posting a 0.29 ERA over 63 innings in 10 wins.
The Pirates should have a strong rotation again in 2026. However, the problem is finding pieces to improve a lineup that scored a major league-worst 583 runs in 2025. Unless that happens soon, Skenes’ impressive performance may not make much of a difference in the standings.
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