Paul Skenes becomes first MLB pitcher with 7+ Ks in 10 of first 11 career starts

Former LSU standout Paul Skenes continues to make history in Major League Baseball, shortly after earning an MLB All-Star nod earlier this week.

In a Thursday start against the Milwaukee Brewers, Skenes started off the game in style for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had struck out seven batters through the first three innings, walking just one and keeping the Brewers hit-less.

His seven strikeouts marked the 10th time he has reached that number in his first 11 starts in the bigs, making him the first to accomplish that feat in MLB since at least 1901.

In other words, he’s doing things that nobody has ever done on the diamond as a rookie.

Prior to Thursday’s game, and since his call-up, Paul Skenes had appeared and started in 10 games for Pittsburgh with an impressive 5-0 record on the mound. He had posted a 2.12 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP so far in his rookie season with 78 strikeouts and just 12 base on balls in his 59.1 innings pitched.

Skenes spent the first two seasons of his college career at Air Force where he was named a two-time First-Team All-American.

He then transferred to LSU ahead of the 2023 season, where he’d help lead the Tigers to a national championship victory in Omaha while being named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player and winner of the Dick Howser Trophy, all after being named the Player and Pitcher of the Year by several publications. He led the nation with 209 strikeouts.

After being selected by the Pirates with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and signing the highest-ever signing bonus for a drafted player ($9.2 million), Paul Skenes quickly made his way up Pittsburgh’s minor league ranks.

He made quick stops with the rookie-level Florida Complex League Pirates, the Single-A Bradenton Marauders and the Double-A Altoona Curve before starting the 2024 season with the Triple–A Indianapolis Indians.

With the Indians, Skenes posted a 0.99 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 27.1 innings before being called up to the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 11 for his MLB debut against the Chicago Cubs.

The rest would be history. As the right-handed rookie phenom continues to translate his dominance from high school, to college, and all the way to the highest level of baseball, Paul Skenes continues to do things that simply amaze.

On3’s Kaiden Smith also contributed to this report.