With Paul Skenes, the irony didn’t just knock, it kicked the door wide open, and it made itself feel like home. Just this month, when the Dodgers’ $365M star was asked about ”the toughest pitcher” to face, he recalled ”Paul Skenes.” The 22-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates star has already been established as one of the most elite pitchers in the league. But who saw it coming that just a few days later, he would be compared to the same Dodgers’ 32-year-old star?
We all have collectively witnessed Paul Skenes’ electric fastballs. They effortlessly exceed 100 mph; it’s that blazing fast that it looks like an F-15E strike slashes through the sky. And the Pirates GM Ben Cherington didn’t hold back praising Skenes.
He reportedly pointed out, “It’s the combination of the quality of the pitches with an assassin’s mindset.” Following the complimentary statements, it will catch you by surprise that Cherington drew an ironic comparison between Skenes and Dodgers’ $365 million star, Mookie Betts.
These two names in one sentence don’t quite add up, right? But you see, the comparison Cherington made reflects on Skenes’ future with the Pirates. Adding to that belief, he stated, “Comparisons are really dangerous, but I can make this one.”
He continued, “This is what I remember about Mookie Betts. A combination of incredibly high standards, a willingness to work for those, but a deep humility in how they go about their work.” Skenes and Betts in one sentence? Yes. The thing is, Betts is now the pride of the Dodgers. However, when Betts was with the Boston Red Sox, he was the fan favourite, just as Skenes is right now for the Pirates nation.
You already know what followed next. Betts was eventually traded as the Red Sox failed to pay him for what he’s worth. And that makes the comparison scary, probably, for the fans. Well, the Pirates rank 26th when it comes to Payroll. So, going by what happened with Betts, perhaps, they might not be able to match Skenes’ worth in the near future.
As a result, it is very likely that he will be traded. If the Pittsburgh Pirates let go of Skenes, the fan favorite, it will expectedly cause riots in the Pirates nation. But what is it that makes Paul Skenes so admirable to the fans?
There is no role model for Paul Skenes: “No model for me”
Recently, Paul Skenes made a bold claim that he can effortlessly throw 140-150 pitches. Although unlikely to happen in the major league, he believes he’s conditioned to be able to do so. If he ever did so, it would be nothing short of historic, as the one who threw 150 pitches in nine innings was Livan Hernandez.
Well, Skenes doesn’t have a model, though; he believes no one in the league has the same stuff as him.
As Skenes put it, “We’re writing our own book.” Not to forget, he has just a brief experience in the major league, and he is just 22. At the same time, the velocity of his fastball puts him in the 95th percentile of the 2025 season.
He reportedly said to Tom Verducci, “There is no model for me.” His confidence stems from his trainer as well. He doesn’t fear injuries. That’s something, right? In a league where one injury setback derails an entire season for a player, Skenes doesn’t fear any. He is being trained on how to throw without injuring his arm.
Skenes solely wants to stay in his own lane and be his own competition. He can almost change the landscape of this league with his electric fastballs. He is already making waves in April, we certainly wonder what he has to offer next for the remainder of the season.
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