Paul Skenes Sets New Pirates Record
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PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes has excelled with the Pittsburgh Pirates this season and made franchise history in his latest appearance.
Skenes struck out Reds first baseman Spencer Steer to begin the bottom of the second inning, marking his second strikeout of the game.
That strikeout marked the 211th of the season for Skenes, the most for a right-handed pitcher in Pirates history.
This is strikeout No. 211 this season for Paul Skenes, the most for a right-handed pitcher in Pirates history pic.twitter.com/jJ837YNno8
— Alex Stumpf (@AlexJStumpf) September 24, 2025
Skenes moves ahead of teammate, right-hander Mitch Keller, who had 210 strikeouts in his All-Star 2023 campaign, for the most strikeouts by a right-hander in the live-ball era (since 1920).
Ed Morris has the franchise record for the most strikeouts in a season with 326 in 1886. He also has the second most in a season in Pirates history at 298 in 1885.
Skenes is just the seventh Pirates pitcher that reached at least 200 strikeouts in a single season in the live ball era (since 1920). He is also one of four right-handers, with Keller, A.J. Burnett at 209 strikeouts in 2013 and Gerrit Cole with 202 strikeouts in 2015.
Left-handed pitcher Bob Veale did it four times in the 1960s, with 276 strikeouts in 1965, 250 strikeouts in 1964, 229 strikeouts in 1966 and 213 strikeouts in 1969. Fellow left-handed pitcher Oliver Pérez threw 239 strikeouts in 2004, third most in the live-ball era, behind Veale in 1965 and 1964.
Skenes reached at least 213 strikeouts in this outing by the end of the third inning, tied for the fifth most in franchise history, with Veale in 1969.
His 213 strikeouts rank fifth most in the MLB, with San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease in fourth place with 215 strikeouts, San Francisco Giants left-handed pitcher Logan Webb in third place with 216 strikeouts, Detroit Tigers left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal in second place with 241 strikeouts and Boston Red Sox left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet in first place with 250 strikeouts.
Skenes set a season-high of 10 strikeouts against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 5, doing so in just five innings of work.
He has posted nine strikeouts four times, eight strikeouts seven times, seven strikeouts five times, six strikeouts nine times and five strikeouts once. Only four of his starts have seen him post a season-low of four strikeouts.
His 170 strikeouts as a rookie in 2024 give him 383 strikeouts in his career, which place him 65th all-time in Pirates history.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.