Pittsburgh Pirates fans had to wait a little longer than they were hoping to see star prospect Paul Skenes with the major league club. But, it was well worth the wait, as he has not disappointed at the start of his career.
Paul Skenes made his debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs on May 11th and hasn’t looked back. Since being called up, the team has been playing much better baseball, possessing one of the most impressive starting trios in the MLB.
Along with Mitch Keller and Jared Jones, the Pirates have three dominant starting pitchers who will hopefully be the core of their success moving forward. If they can find some more production at the plate, they can make a run at a postseason spot in the National League.
The starting pitching is certainly playoff-worthy, as Paul Skenes has joined an elite list with his dominant production. Through his first seven appearances, he has struck out 53 batters while walking only seven.
According to Sarah Langs on X, he is only the third pitcher in MLB history since 1901 with 50+ strikeouts and seven or fewer walks in his first seven appearances. The others are Jones, his teammate earlier this season, and Masahiro Tanaka in 2014.
What Paul Skenes and Jones have accomplished thus far in their careers should be talked about more. Tanaka’s transition to the major leagues was an impressive one, but he was 25 when he debuted with seven seasons of professional experience in Japan.
The Pittsburgh Pirates duo are both 22 years old with a combined 96 appearances in the minor leagues. Coming out and performing at this level at this age is one of the most impressive things to occur to this point in the MLB season.
It is hard to imagine, but Paul Skenes and Jones could get even better. They should improve as they continue developing, as they are only scratching the surface of their potential. Bright days are on the horizon for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have plenty more impressive young talent in the minor league pipeline.
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