Paul Skenes may have just cemented his Rookie of the Year victory for Pirates

In what should come as a surprise to absolutely no one, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes is a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year Award. But just to keep things interesting and continue to defy the odds – as he has done all year – Skenes has also been named a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award after his stellar rookie season.

Skenes put together what was arguably the best rookie season in Pirates franchise history, recording an 11-3 record with a 1.96 ERA over 23 starts and 133 innings. He set a franchise rookie record with 170 strikeouts and even earned the starting nod for the National League at the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.

With all due respect to his fellow finalists, San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio, Skenes should be considered a shoo-in for the NL Rookie of the Year Award. He didn't make his MLB debut until May 11, when he had just 6 2/3 innings of Minor League experience under his belt, and he has dominated ever since.

Skenes’ 1.96 ERA was the lowest by a rookie with at least 20 starts since the start of the Live Ball Era in 1920. It was also the lowest for all Major Leaguers with at least 130 innings pitched this season, and his 0.95 WHIP was tied for the lowest in the National League for those with at least as many innings as he had. His rookie season wasn't just great; it was historic.

Paul Skenes could make history with NL Rookie of the Year, Cy Young Award nominations

While Skenes capturing NL Rookie of the Year honors feels like a foregone conclusion at this point, winning the Cy Young Award feels less likely. Still, it's possible that Skenes could become just the eighth rookie in MLB history to win both awards, joining Dwight Gooden, Don Newcombe, Tom Seaver, Rick Sutcliffe, Fernando Valenzuela, Justin Verlander and Jacob deGrom.

The 22-year-old Skenes is up against a pair of veterans in Zach Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies and Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves in the Cy Young race. Wheeler, 34, went 16-7 with a 2.57 ERA and 224 strikeouts across 200 innings this season. Sale, 35, went 18-3 with 225 strikeouts across 177 ⅔ innings. Sale’s 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings led the league, as did Wheeler’s 0.955 WHIP.

So, while Skenes winning the Cy Young Award this season may be less likely, the mere fact that he is a finalist for it should all but solidify his case for Rookie of the Year. Plus, if Skenes continues to perform the way he did during his historic rookie campaign throughout his MLB career, this year's Cy Young Award nomination is unlikely to be his last.

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