Paul Skenes breaks Pirates record, already among franchise’s greatest pitchers

There’s never a guarantee any rookie will live up the hype. But not only has Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes lived up to the immense hype that preceded his MLB debut, he’s exceeding it. And the proof of that is in his latest record. 

On Thursday, Skenes threw one of his best performances of the season. The 22-year-old All-Star tossed a seven-inning no-hitter while striking out 11 batters. Obviously, recording a no-hitter, even if not through an official complete game, is the first thing that jumps out. However, only allowing one baserunner via one walk is somehow not the primary headline from Skenes’ final start before his first of what should be many All-Star Games. 

Skenes leading the Pirates to a 1-0 road victory over the Brewers will go down as a historic day for a franchise with a long history that dates back to 1882. He has now recorded seven or more strikeouts in eight consecutive starts, setting a new franchise record. 

So Skenes, who recently achieved the new standard for the most strikeouts within a rookie pitcher’s first 10 starts, now owns a record that goes well beyond the greatest rookie seasons. 

To put this latest Skenes record into perspective, the Pirates franchise has been home to some sensational pitchers throughout its history. Names like Jack Chesbro, who still remains the last MLB pitcher to win 40 games in a season, former Cy Younger winner Vern Law, Dock Ellis, who captained the Pirates’ 1971 World Series winning staff and threw one of the most famous no-hitters ever, Bob Friend and more recently Gerrit Cole enjoyed success while representing the Pirates. 

But again, it’s Skenes who has been the most dominant from a strikeout perspective in eight straight starts. The fact that Skenes’ name is being brought among legends of the past only 11 appearances into his career shows the sky is truly the limit for MLB’s 2023 No. 1 overall pick. 

Skenes’ 2024 totals tell the story of his dominance. In 66.1 innings pitched, Skenes is now 6-0 with 89 strikeouts and a 1.90 ERA. He has only given up 48 hits, 13 walks and seven home runs. 

Only time will tell where Skenes will rank among the Pirates’ best pitchers all-time, but he’s making a case that he belongs as a rookie and he’s already in the franchise’s record book no matter what. 

It’s safe to say Skenes has provided Pirates fans with something they have been searching for: hope for the future and a belief the glory the franchise can eventually experience a return to glory.