Paul Skenes Continues to Build Strong NL ROY Case
Paul Skenes is delivering a promising rookie season for the Pittsburgh Pirates as he continues to play at a high level for the team. Sure, the Pirates are not a playoff team right now, and that’s okay. But seeing Skenes develop bigger strides in his game actually makes a lot of sense as to how he can actually come up with a sure sweep of the National League for the Rookie of the Year Award now more than ever.
One dominant outing after another, Skenes is showing off right now with the way he is playing in the game. He’s not just living up to the hype set before him – he’s already way past it at this point in time. The no. 1 pick for the Pittsburgh Pirates has been quite the phenomenal player, and the top pitching prospect is looking like the star that was promised to save the Pirates from utter destruction.
While it may not live up to fruition today, fans can be sure that the 22-year-old will be the centerpiece for what seems to be the bigger future of the squad. At this point, one can say that Skenes is definitely developing his game, and there’s more to expect from him as he continues to make a massive climb in his game now more than ever.
A Prospect on the Rise
Paul Skenes is well-known for being a promising pitcher in college, and he has been quite the rising star for the Pittsburgh Pirates. His rise to prominence isn't unexpected, given how high his potential upside was to begin with. Skenes has been praised for his impressive upside in the game, and it cannot be denied that we are seeing a promising pitcher emerge at the top of the league.
While the Pirates aren't a highly competitive team at this point, it is worth noting that they are not that far behind the .500 mark, a drastic improvement from their 76-86 record, which saw them finish with a .469 winning percentage in the previous season. That's how Skenes' impact is becoming a huge help for the team's hopes of improving into a contender soon enough.
Consistency Matters
Last week, the MLB midseason polls had him gunning for the first place for the NL Rookie of the Year award. He is now one of the best pitchers in the game, and he finished this previous week with a 2.06 ERA through nine MLB starts. He’s been batting at the 100mph mark on the radar gun with off-speed pitches, and his promising strikeouts proved to be quite formidable for a rookie. If you are not impressed, he just struck out eight New York Mets in seven innings of two-run ball – in his 10th major league start.
The unique “splinker” that he delivers is a sight to behold. His consistent triple-digit fastball proved to be quite a promising move that he continues to refine one game after another, which speaks volumes about the high potential that Skenes boasts as a rookie at this point, and it is even safe to say that the Pirates have won the draft with him making massive strides at the star level now more than ever, and no one can deny the fact that he deserves a lot of praise for his success in the game – which should be translated in favor of Pittsburgh soon enough.