Skenes Ends Season With 1.97 ERA, NL Leader

Paul Skenes ended the 2025 regular season with six shutout innings, seven strikeouts and no walks in the Pirates’ 4-3 extra-innings game against the Reds, but was charged with a no-decision in his final scheduled start. He lowered his ERA to 1.97 and finished the year leading the National League in ERA (1.97), WHIP (0.95), strikeouts (216) and FIP (2.37), making him the heavy favorite for the NL Cy Young Award. At 23, Skenes is the first qualified pitcher that age or younger to post a sub-2.00 ERA since Dwight Gooden in 1985 and set a Pirates single-season strikeout record for a right-hander with 216. Despite his historic individual season and the club’s win that night, the Pirates missed the postseason.