No one’s doubting Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes’s generational talent through his first two MLB seasons. After becoming the second Pirates player to win National League Rookie of the Year after an exemplary 2024 season (a campaign in which he also finished third in NL Cy Young voting), Skenes made his second consecutive All-Star team in 2025. He held a 2.03 ERA and an 0.96 WHIP on the season entering Wednesday, with 209 strikeouts in 191 2/3 innings.
Skenes has the physical and mental tools to be the best starting pitcher in baseball — that has been clear since very shortly after he stepped onto a big league mound last year.