Paul Skenes Cy Young moment gets perfect touch from Pirates icon

There are moments in baseball that feel bigger than the game itself — where history, legacy and the present all collide in one perfect snapshot. Friday night at PNC Park delivered exactly that.

Before the Pittsburgh Pirates took the field against the Tampa Bay Rays, Paul Skenes was handed his 2025 National League Cy Young Award. That alone would have been enough to mark the occasion. But the Pirates made sure it meant something deeper.

They put the award in the hands of Doug Drabek — and suddenly, the ceremony became a bridge between eras.

Drabek, the last Pirates pitcher to win a Cy Young Award back in 1990, represents a golden chapter in franchise history — a time when pitching dominance defined Pittsburgh baseball. His 22-win season remains one of the most iconic performances the organization has ever seen. For him to return, step onto that field and personally pass the torch to Skenes added a layer of authenticity no scripted moment could replicate.

It mattered that it was Drabek. It mattered that he had to get special permission from his role as a Triple-A pitching coach just to be there. Because that’s what baseball tradition looks like — not manufactured, but earned and carried forward.

Paul Skenes receives 2025 National League Cy Young award from 1990 winner Doug Drabek

For Skenes, the moment felt like confirmation of something the Pirates have been building toward since the day they drafted him. He’s not just a young ace putting up historic numbers. He’s becoming part of the franchise’s identity.

In other words, Skenes received the Cy Young Award from the standard set more than a quarter of a century ago that he now has to uphold.

That symbolism was reinforced when he was also presented the 2025 Baseball Digest Pitcher of the Year Award by publisher Rick Cerrone. Another honor. Another reminder that what he accomplished last season wasn’t just elite — it was defining.

But even as the accolades pile up, the Pirates understand something important: moments like this aren’t just about celebrating the past. They’re about shaping the future. Because for the first time in a long time, those two things feel connected in Pittsburgh.

Drabek handing that award to Skenes was a statement that the Pirates finally have their next true ace, their next standard-bearer, their next name that lives on in franchise lore.

And if Friday night was any indication, that future has already arrived.

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