Pirates All-Star rookie Paul Skenes’ incredible first half by the numbers

Pittsburgh Pirates starter Paul Skenes entered Major League Baseball two months ago with a mountain of hype, less than a year removed from getting picked first overall in the 2023 MLB Draft. All the 22-year-old fireballer has done since then is live up to — if not exceed — that hype en route to making the 2024 MLB All-Star game despite spending the first month of the season in the minors.

Skenes capped his incredible first two months in the big leagues by tossing seven no-hit innings to lead the Pirates to a 1-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. It’s the second time he has not allowed a hit in six or more innings this season, as he also did so in his second career MLB start against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field back on May 17. 

[Related: John Smoltz on Paul Skenes meriting All-Star start: ‘Probably yes’]

That puts Skenes in rare company with one of the greatest fastball pitchers to ever do it, Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. It may also propel Skenes to a starting pitcher role for the National League in Tuesday’s All-Star Game (8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App) — something that appeared unthinkable at the start of the season.

Here’s Skenes’ incredible run in his first two months in the big leagues — and his impressive new connection to the legendary Ryan — by the numbers, courtesy of FOX Sports Research.

• .157: Since his debut on May 11th, opposing batters are hitting just .157 against Skenes’ split-finger fastball, despite him throwing the second-most number of splitters in baseball over that time. His 94.1 mph average velocity for that splitter is the highest among all MLB starters, a full 1.4 mph higher than the next fastest.
• 1: Paul Skenes is the only player in the modern era to have multiple games with 6-plus innings pitched and zero hits allowed as a rookie.
• 1.90: Skenes’ ERA now sits at 1.90 after his latest gem in Milwaukee on Thursday. He joins Reynaldo Lopez as the only starters with an ERA under two with a minimum of 10 games started this season.
• 2: Skenes is the 2nd player since at least 1906 to have multiple starts with six innings pitched, zero hits and 11 strikeouts in the same season. The other is Nolan Ryan, who had two such starts for the California Angels in 1973. However, that was Nolan Ryan’s sixth full MLB season and his age-26 season. This is Paul Skenes’ first MLB season and his 11th start, at 22 years and 43 days old.
• 4: Since 2000, Skenes is just the fourth pitcher to pitch 50 or more innings, allow fewer than 15 runs and post a K/9 rate of 12 or higher through his first 11 starts, joining Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez (2000 and 2001 with the Boston Red Sox), former All-Star Shane Bieber (2020 with the Cleveland Guardians) and former All-Star Jacob DeGrom (2021 with the New York Mets). The 22-year-old Skenes is the only one of that group younger than 25 years old at the time of this feat.
• 5: After he was officially named the starter for the National League in the All-Star Game, Skenes is now the fifth rookie to earn that honor. He is also the youngest pitcher to start the All-Star Game since Dwight Gooden (21 years old) in 1986.
• 7: Skenes has now recorded 7-plus strikeouts in eight consecutive starts, a Pirates franchise record. Skenes is also just the third player since 1906 to have at least eight straight starts with seven or more strikeouts at age 22 or younger, joining Dwight Gooden (nine straight in 1984 for the Mets) and Frank Tanana (nine straight in 1976 for the Angels).
• 11: Since May 17th, Skenes is the only National League pitcher with multiple starts where he struck out more than 10 batters.
• 12.01: Skenes’ 12.01 strikeouts per nine innings are the second-highest among all starters with a minimum of 10 starts this season, behind only White Sox ace Garrett Crochet at 12.47 K/9.
• 15: Skenes is the only pitcher in baseball this season to allow fewer than 15 runs over his first 11 starts
• 42: In his first time through the opponent’s batting order, Skenes has struck out 42 batters, five more than anyone else in baseball since his debut on May 11th.
• 82%: Skenes has delivered a quality start in 82% of his starts this season. That is the highest mark in baseball this year with a minimum of 10 starts.
• 89: Through his first 11 career starts, Skenes’ 89 strikeouts are four more than Nolan Ryan had in that same span. His 89 strikeouts are also the most in the majors among any pitcher since May 11th, his MLB debut.
• 99.1: His fastball averages 99.1 MPH, the highest among all MLB pitchers since his call-up (minimum 100 fastballs thrown)
• 1919: If Skenes is able to finish this season with an ERA under 2.00, he would be the first Pirates starter since Babe Adams in 1919 to accomplish that feat.

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