Paul Skenes does something not seen in Pittsburgh Pirates history since 1966.
Once Paul Skenes has a chance to fully digest his 2026 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he’ll look back on it and admit that there were certainly some highs, but also some lows throughout the year.
Still, even after all of the talk toward the middle of the season, the 24-year-old still found a way to end the year on a high note and something he can build on over the offseason and heading into 2027, too.
In Skenes’ final start of the 2026 season, he pitched 6.1 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing three hits, one earned run, issuing two walks, and striking out eight hitters.
Skenes’ eight punchouts weren’t just the most he’s had in a start since the middle of April, but he also reached an impressive milestone
Pittsburgh’s All-Star pitcher finished the season with 200 strikeouts, on the dot.
After finishing the 2025 season with 216 strikeouts, Skenes became the first Pirates pitcher since Bob Veale (1964-1966) to have consecutive seasons with 200 or more strikeouts.
Skenes knew what was on the line from the start. He admitted he was pitching to go back out for the seventh inning, and if he had gotten that final strikeout in the sixth, his day would likely have been over.
Instead, he asked manager Don Kelly for one hit; the Pittsburgh skipper gave it to him, and Skenes was able to get the strikeout and make franchise history.
As Skenes said, ending the season on that note, “could have been worse.”
Even with a career-high 3.82 WHIP and a 1.12 WHIP, Skenes was still one of baseball's best punchout pitchers. He had a strikeout rate of 27.0 percent (83rd percentile), a whiff rate of 28.1 percent (73rd percentile), and a chase rate of 32.5 percent (70th percentile).
Are these numbers down from where they’ve been in previous seasons? Yes.
However, they’re still considered elite when compared to the rest of the big-league pitchers, and that has to at least be worth something.
Pirates manager Kelly said that Friday’s outing is evidence of just how focused and dedicated Skenes is to continuing to be the best pitcher he can be.
It could have been easy for Skenes to let a little bit go after Pittsburgh was officially eliminated from postseason contention. Instead, he kept his foot on the gas and wanted to make an impact, even though there wasn’t anything left to play for.
