Pirates Star Teases Being Cover of MLB The Show 25
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Coming off of a history rookie season, Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes being the cover athlete for MLB The Show 25 wouldn't be much of a surprise.
He isn't the only player vying to be on the cover of the game, though.
Skenes was the third player to post on social media that they're going to be on the cover of MLB The Show 25. Earlier on Monday, Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz and Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson also teased being the cover athletes for the game. Later the same day, Skenes said he was the cover athlete and that he, De La Cruz and Henderson would have to settle things before MLB The Show announces the cover athlete.
"Gunnar, Elly, I heard you guys are claiming the cover of the show, and I just want to let you know that the cover is mine," Skenes said. "So, let's settle this before the cover drops."
MLB The Show has yet to announce a date for when the game will come out or when the cover athlete will be revealed. If Skenes is the cover athlete, he'd be the second Pirates player to earn the honor, joining outfielder/designated hitter Andrew McCutchen, who was the cover athlete on MLB The Show 13.
Skenes is coming off of a historic first season that saw him win the National League Rookie of the Year and finish third in the NL Cy Young vote. Skenes was the fifth pitcher in MLB history to finish top three for both awards and the first since Jose Fernandez in 2013.
Skenes went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts and set a Pirates franchise record for a rookie with 170 strikeouts over 133 innings pitched. The Pirates right-hander was also the first pitcher in MLB history to have an ERA below 2.20, over 150 strikeouts in their first 21 games and the second pitcher since 1913 to have an ERA below 2.00 through their first 22 appearances.
He was also the first rookie pitcher to start an All-Star game since Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995.
