Pirates’ Paul Skenes reaches historic milestone in 59 starts

As Paul Skenes continues to stack milestones early in his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the 23-year-old added another historic note Monday in a 16-5 rout of the Washington Nationals.

Making just his fourth MLB start of the season, Skenes recorded six strikeouts, pushing his total to 404 for his career.

In doing so, he became the first pitcher in the franchise’s modern era to reach that mark within his first 59 starts.

Just two batters into the outing, Skenes punched out Luis García Jr. on a five-pitch sequence, striking him out with a 90 mph changeup.

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Beyond adding to his history in Pittsburgh, Paul Skenes also joined rare company across the league, becoming just the 20th pitcher in the modern era to reach 400 strikeouts in his first 59 career starts.

The most recent arm to accomplish that feat was Spencer Strider of the Atlanta Braves.

For those who have tracked Skenes since his 2024 debut, this latest achievement feels more like a continuation than a surprise.

Fresh off a Cy Young-winning 2025 campaign, Skenes has only strengthened his case as one of baseball’s premier right-handers.

With the outing, Paul Skenes picked up his third win of the season while trimming his ERA to 4.00, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates improve to 10-6 and maintain a one-game edge atop the NL Central.

Looking ahead, Skenes remains under team control through the 2029 season, but his trajectory is already shifting the long-term conversation.

If Pittsburgh hopes to keep its ace beyond that window, it will require a massive financial commitment, a deal likely worth north of $400 million, given the current market.

At 23 years old, Skenes hasn’t shied away from his long-term vision in Pittsburgh.

Following his Cy Young campaign, he made his stance clear to the media: “the goal is to win in Pittsburgh.”

Emphasizing his desire to build something with the Pirates and bring a winner back to the city that drafted him.