Pirates' Paul Skenes Is on a Run MLB Hasn’t Seen Since Babe Ruth

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a superstar on their hands on a ridiculous run.

May 23, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates weren't able to get in the win column on Thursday, but they got yet another exceptional outing from young flamethrower Paul Skenes.

Skenes pitched 5 1/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs and allowed one earned run and struck out 10 batters. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, the wheels fell off with the bullpen in and the Pirates ended up losing, 7-2.

On the bright side, Skenes joined some elite company in the start. Skenes' 24th birthday is on Friday, so Thursday's start was his final one at 23 years old. So far in his career, he already has made 67 starts. He's been an All-Star twice and has already won the National League Cy Young Award and yet, he's just now 24 years old. In his first 67 starts, he recorded a ridiculous 2.12 ERA across 386 innings pitched. His run in the majors has been insane so far to the point that he has the fourth-lowest ERA by a starter in big league history before the age of 24 years old, per MLB's Sarah Langs.

The Pirates Are Seeing History When Paul Skenes Takes The Mound

May 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

"Paul Skenes’ birthday is tomorrow. Birthdays are important," Langs wrote. "Lowest career ERA before turning 24, since ER official (1913), min 300 ip: 1913-15 Dutch Leonard: 1.99, 1913-14 Bill Doak: 2.09, 1914-18 Babe Ruth: 2.09, 2024-26 Paul Skenes: 2.12, and 1913-15 Bill L. James: 2.27."

Paul Skenes’ birthday is tomorrow. Birthdays are important. 
 
lowest career ERA before turning 24, since ER official (1913), min 300 ip:
 
1913-15 Dutch Leonard: 1.99
1913-14 Bill Doak: 2.09
1914-18 Babe Ruth: 2.09
2024-26 Paul Skenes: 2.12
1913-15 Bill L. James: 2.27

h/t… https://t.co/Zx1Q0ErFrS

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 29, 2026

On this list, the guy most fans are going to know is, of course, Babe Ruth. But the most important thing is the historic nature of what Skenes is doing, not even necessarily the people around him. He has the fourth-lowest ERA in the league as a starter before the age of 24 years old since 1913. There have been plenty of legends who have taken the mound since then. Skenes is the first one to crack this after Ruth in 1918. No body since 1918 has been able to combine the success on the field and youth like Skenes has.

It's absurd and he had a perfect response as well. MLB.com's Aiden Stepansky asked Skenes about the stat, but he didn't get caught up in it.

"That’s cool," Skenes said. "There’s a lot of baseball left."

Skenes is a gamer and he is just scratching the surface of what he can be. If opposing batters thought Skenes was tough now, imagine what he'll look like when he really starts to hit his prime? We're watching history in the making.