Skubal vs Skenes 2026 Fantasy Comparison

He offers you a little more stability, it seems, and he pitches for a vastly superior team as the Tigers had 87 wins last season and were a wild card, while the Pirates had just 71 wins. That gives Skubal a better chance of having a better win total.

Skubal’s control is unbelievable as he struck out 241 batters last season against just 33 walks in 31 starts. That is nearly one walk per start. He led the American League in ERA with a 2.21 in 2025 and led the whole Major Leagues with a 0.891 WHIP. He is prone to the long ball, as he allowed 18 home runs last season, but other than that, it is hard to find anything to complain about.

Paul Skenes' Breakout

Paul Skenes might have the most impressive start to a pitcher’s career in a very long time. Through 55 starts in the Major Leagues, his ERA is just 1.96, and he led the Majors in that stat in 2025. His strikeout rate fell to 10.4 K/9 last season, but that is still a very impressive number. He does allow a few more walks than Skubal, but 42 over 187.2 innings is nothing to be concerned about, and he led the National League in WHIP last season, so Skenes also has elite control.

It feels like there is nothing he can’t do, and we may not have seen his best just yet. If I were to nitpick his career, I would like to see him go deeper into games, as he averaged fewer than 6 innings per start.

The other downside to Skenes has already been discussed: the terrible team he is on. He went 11-3 in 2024 in just 23 starts, so he is capable of winning games. However, the ten wins last season in 32 starts took some air out of the balloon. The Pirates have a few exciting young players, but it seems unlikely they have more than 75 wins this season.  

Team Context and Draft Fit

Hey! You are still on the clock! Your league mates are wondering what you are doing and why you have taken almost the entire clock to make your choice! Is it the two-time defending American League Cy Young winner, or the absolute phenom in Paul Skenes?

Want more information for your 2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft? Check these top 20 positional rankings:

• Top 20 Starting Pitchers
• Top 20 Relief Pitchers
• Top 20 Catchers
• Top 20 First Basemen
• Top 20 Second Basemen
• Top 20 Third Basemen
• Top 20 Shortstops
• Top 20 Outfielders
• Top 20 Designated Hitters

Key Factors

I am often the type to take the swing with the higher upside. However, in this case, I can’t imagine Skenes' upside being much higher than what we witnessed last year. He is durable, he is on a better team, and his strikeout numbers are just off the charts. His swinging strike rate is among the top in the game, so could we see 250 strikeouts from him?

Skenes might top Skubal in the ratios a bit, but it will again be extremely close while Skubal likely gets you more wins and more strikeouts.

Final Recommendation

Paul Skenes is an absolute phenomenon, but if I am on the clock and choosing between the two, I am choosing Tarik Skubal.

People Also Ask:

• Q: Who has higher fantasy value in 2026: Skubal or Skenes?
  A: Skubal edges in many rankings for wins/durability.
• Q: Is Paul Skenes worth drafting over Skubal?
  A: Yes for ratios, but it's a close debate.
• Q: Tarik Skubal 2026 outlook after Cy Young?
  A: He's still an elite ace and will compete for a third Cy Young in a row.
• Q: Best fantasy starting pitchers 2026?
  A: These two top the list behind Ohtani.
• Q: How does the team affect Skubal vs Skenes fantasy?
  A: Wins favor Skubal; ratios Skenes.