Paul Skenes, the 2024 MLB National League Rookie of the Year, has brought immense joy and renewed hope to Pirates fans. He is undoubtedly one of the best pitchers in the league, and his impressive pitching performances, comparable to the greatest of recent years, have placed him in the top two of power rankings prior to the 2025 MLB season.
The season officially begins with the iconic Tokyo Series on March 18 and 19 between the reigning World Series champions, the Dodgers, and the Chicago Cubs. For the rest of the league, the first games will be held on Thursday, March 27. The Pirates have announced a Paul Skenes bobblehead giveaway for their home game against the Cleveland Guardians on April 19. The first 20,000 fans to arrive at the game will receive the bobblehead.
The bobblehead features Skenes sporting his famous mustache, wearing a black Pirates hat with a yellow ‘P’ logo. He’s also depicted in a black jersey with the Pittsburgh script lettering and yellow outlines, along with his No. 30 and yellow arm accents. The box that the bobblehead comes in displays his minor league stats, and the sides of the box honor Skenes for winning the National League Rookie of the Year award.
The Paul Skenes era began just last year, and it didn’t complete the entire season. He made his MLB debut on May 11 against the Chicago Cubs, and he immediately impressed. He struck out seven batters in his debut.
Skenes’s impressive rookie season saw him achieve a record of 11 wins and 3 losses, with a stellar 1.96 ERA in 23 starts. He showcased his dominance with 170 strikeouts in 133 innings pitched. His exceptional performance earned him an MLB All-Star selection, a top-3 finish for the National League Cy Young Award, and a top-20 ranking in the NL MVP conversation.
There’s little doubt that Paul Skenes is destined for baseball superstardom, and it’s likely he won’t remain with the Pittsburgh franchise for long. For now, he anchors the pitching rotation as the ace and number one starter, joined by 28-year-old right-hander Mitch Keller, fellow 2024 debutant right-handed pitcher Jared Jones, veteran World Series champion Andrew Heaney (added this season), and left-hander Bailey Falter.
The Pirates’ minor league system boasts two of baseball’s top 100 prospects: pitching prospects Bubba Chandler and Thomas Harrington waiting for their moment inside the rotation.
Read the full article here
