Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) walks in from the bullpen before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on July 2. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Paul Skenes and Jacob deGrom are Now Linked in Sad Pitching History

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Brady Farkas | Last updated Jul 7, 2025 2:51 PM ET

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has now joined Jacob deGrom in some unwanted baseball history, according to @CodifyBaseball:

The only pitchers in MLB history to record a 19-start span of a regular season with a sub-2.00 ERA, 90+ strikeouts, and fewer than 5 wins are Jacob deGrom and Paul Skenes.

The only pitchers in MLB history to record a 19-start span of a regular season with a sub-2.00 ERA, 90+ strikeouts, and fewer than 5 wins are Jacob deGrom and Paul Skenes. pic.twitter.com/1FKE9YNKP5
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) July 7, 2025

Skenes is now 4-7 this season with a 1.94 ERA, striking out 125 batters in 116.0 innings. The 23-year-old was named to the National League All-Star Game on Sunday afternoon and followed it up with five shutout innings against the Seattle Mariners. He struck out 10, but didn't factor into the decision as the Pirates lost 1-0.

They were swept by the Mariners over the weekend, failing to score even a single run in any of the three games. They are now 38-53 on the year, which is last in the National League Central.

Despite the overall record, Skenes is one of the best attractions in the league. With a blazing fastball and an excellent offspeed repertoire, there's a chance he could start the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season.

He won the National League Rookie of the Year in 2024 and also finished third in the Cy Young voting.

The Pirates will be back in action on Monday night when they visit the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Rookie left-hander Noah Cameron will pitch for the Royals while veteran lefty Andrew Heaney goes for Pittsburgh.

There's a chance that Heaney could be traded at the deadline, so each start he makes looms large.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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