Paul Skenes' Pirates Career Off to Historic Start
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Pittsburgh Pirates sensation Paul Skenes is not just living up to the hype—he’s obliterating expectations and rewriting baseball history with one of the most dominant starts to a pitching career the game has ever seen.
On Twitter this morning, Pirates broadcaster Joe Block highlighted many of the eye-popping statistical leaderboards that Skenes tops.
Through his first 29 career starts, the 22-year-old flamethrower has posted a microscopic 2.06 ERA, the lowest mark by any pitcher—on any team—in the Live Ball Era (since 1920) with at least 20 starts. This staggering achievement places him in rarified air, surpassing even the most elite arms of the modern game in one important statistical measure.
Paul Skenes has a 2.06 career ERA thru 29 starts, lowest by any pitcher on any MLB team in the Live Ball Era (since 1920) with at least 20 career starts
— Joe Block (@joe_block) April 26, 2025
But Skenes isn’t just setting records for the modern era—he’s also etching his name atop the Pirates’ storied franchise history. His 2.06 ERA stands as the lowest all-time by any Pittsburgh pitcher with at least 12 career starts, a testament to his immediate and sustained brilliance. The previous Live Ball ERA leader for the Pirates, Nelson Briles (2.98 ERA from 1971-73), pales in comparison, and Briles’ mark even included relief appearances, making Skenes’ dominance as a starter all the more impressive.
Paul Skenes has a 2.06 career ERA, the lowest *all-time* by any #Pirates pitcher with at least 12 starts
— Joe Block (@joe_block) April 26, 2025
Beyond ERA, Skenes has displayed remarkable consistency and durability, matching some of the game’s biggest stars in historic streaks. His active run of 29 consecutive starts allowing six hits or fewer ties him with Shohei Ohtani (31 from 2018-21) for the second-longest such stretch to begin a career. Given that Ohtani is a three-time MVP and one of the most dynamic players in MLB history, Skenes’ company in this category speaks volumes about his consistent dominance on the mound.
Most consecutive starts to begin a career, allowing 6 hits or fewer in each:
— Joe Block (@joe_block) April 26, 2025
31 - Shohei Ohtani, 2018-21
29 - Paul Skenes, 2024-25 (active)
[excluding openers, via @OptaSTATS]
Perhaps most astonishing is where Skenes stands in the broader scope of baseball history. Since 1877, only four pitchers—Ed Walsh (1.82), Addie Joss (1.89), Jack Pfiester (2.02), and Smoky Joe Wood (2.03)—have posted a lower career ERA through their first 20 starts. All four of those names belong to the Dead Ball Era, when offensive numbers were notoriously suppressed, making Skenes’ performance in today’s high-powered offensive environment even more extraordinary.
Lowest career ERA - after 1877, min. 20 starts pic.twitter.com/IZfTxrycnC
— Joe Block (@joe_block) April 26, 2025
Skenes added another legendary chapter to his burgeoning legacy last night at Dodger Stadium, where he carved up the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup with a masterful performance: 6 1/3 scoreless innings, nine strikeouts, and zero walks. In doing so, Skenes became just the second pitcher younger than 23 in stadium history (since 1962) to record such a line, joining only Dwight Gooden's 1985 outing for the New York Mets. Remarkably, no Dodgers pitcher has ever accomplished this feat in their own ballpark, underscoring the rarity of Skenes' dominance on one of baseball's biggest stages.
The only younger pitcher than Paul Skenes last night to have a game with 9+ strikeouts, 0 walks and 0 runs, in at least 6.1 innings at Dodger Stadium: Dwight Gooden, for the Mets, in 1985. No Dodgers since the ballpark opened in 1962.
— Joe Block (@joe_block) April 26, 2025
(via @Stathead)
With every outing, Skenes continues to build on what is quickly becoming one of the most electrifying starts to a career in MLB history. Whether he’s carving up lineups with his triple-digit fastball or baffling hitters with his growing arsenal of off-speed pitches, the young ace is proving he’s not just a future star—he’s already among the game’s elite. The question is no longer whether Skenes will be great, but just how many records he’ll shatter before his career is done.
Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.