PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates‘ right-handed starter Paul Skenes delivered another stellar performance, further cementing his remarkable MLB career.
In a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on September 4, Skenes pitched six shutout innings, allowing only two hits and one walk while striking out eight over 94 pitches, securing a win in the Pirates’ 5-3 triumph.
This outing lowered his season ERA to 1.98 and his career ERA to 1.97, the lowest recorded by any pitcher in MLB history since the live-ball era began in 1920.
Paul Skenes previously achieved a historic milestone, lowering his ERA to 2.01 after his 51st career start, allowing just one earned run over six innings in a 4-2 victory against the Boston Red Sox in the series opener at Fenway Park on August 31. Before that, his 2.02 ERA through 50 starts ranked as the second-lowest in MLB history since the live-ball era began, trailing only Vida Blue’s 2.01 ERA with the Oakland Athletics from 1969-71.
At PNC Park, Skenes has been nearly unhittable, posting a 6-4 record over 14 home starts with a 1.54 ERA across 87.2 innings, 93 strikeouts, 15 walks, a .182 opposing batting average, and a 0.82 WHIP. In his last eight home starts, he’s been untouchable, going 5-0 with a 0.36 ERA, surrendering just two earned runs—both against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 18. Those runs snapped a 30.1-inning scoreless streak and a 33.1-inning streak without an earned run at home, with the last earned runs allowed coming against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 8 and the Houston Astros on June 3.
In the 2025 season, Skenes has been phenomenal, compiling a 10-9 record over 29 starts with a 1.98 ERA across 173.0 innings, 195 strikeouts, 39 walks, a .195 opposing batting average, and a 0.94 WHIP. His advanced stats are equally impressive: a 10.14 K/9, 2.03 BB/9, and 5.00 K/BB. He ranks among baseball’s elite, leading the league with the lowest ERA, tying for third in strikeouts, tying for fourth in innings pitched, ranking fourth in WHIP, fifth in opposing batting average, sixth in K/BB, ninth in K/9, and 11th in BB/9.
Skenes is also a strong contender for the National League Cy Young Award, boasting the NL’s lowest ERA, tying for the most strikeouts, and ranking second in WHIP, third in opposing batting average, and third in innings pitched. His rookie season in 2024 was equally dominant, finishing with an 11-3 record over 23 starts, a 1.96 ERA across 133.0 innings, 170 strikeouts, 32 walks, a .198 opposing batting average, a 11.50 K/9, and a 0.95 WHIP, while allowing just 94 hits and six home runs. He earned the NL Rookie of the Year Award, becoming the first Pirate to win it since Jason Bay in 2004, and placed third in NL Cy Young voting.
If Skenes maintains his elite performance through the final month of the 2025 season, he’s poised to break more MLB records and could secure his first NL Cy Young Award.
Source: SI.com
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