Paul Skenes

Active

Pittsburgh Pirates · Pitcher

Age 246' 6" · 260 lbsThrows Right

FBaseball Overview

After a historic 2025 season that earned him NL Cy Young honors and All-MLB First Team recognition, Skenes enters 2026 as one of fantasy baseball's most elite starting pitcher options. His track record suggests sustained excellence in ERA and WHIP, as he has maintained sub-1.00 WHIP both seasons while demonstrating elite strikeout upside with 216 K's last year. The slight uptick in ERA to 3.10 this season and win-loss decline (6-7 compared to 10-10) may reflect Pirates offensive limitations rather than diminished performance, leaving room for his ratios to recover and strikeout production to remain among the league's best. Managers should view Skenes as a foundational ace pick who provides consistency across counting and ratio categories despite potential win constraints from his team's competitiveness.

MLB Pitching

Year	Team	G	GS	W	L	ERA	WHIP	K	IP	BB
2024	Pittsburgh Pirates	23	23	11	3	1.96	0.95	170	133.0	32
2025	Pittsburgh Pirates	32	32	10	10	1.97	0.95	216	187.2	42
2026	Pittsburgh Pirates	18	18	6	8	3.62	1.01	119	97.0	22
Career	Totals	73	73	27	21	2.35	0.96	505	417.2	96

Source: MLB Stats API · Multi-team seasons show combined totals — click to expand

Minor League Pitching

Year	Team	G	GS	ERA	WHIP	K	IP	BB
2023	3 teams▼	5	5	5.40	1.05	10	6.2	2
2024	Indianapolis Indians	7	7	0.99	0.91	45	27.1	8
Career	Totals	12	12	1.85	0.94	55	34	10

Source: MLB Stats API · Multi-team seasons show combined totals — click to expand

Game Log2026 season

Loading game log…

Analytics2026 season · via Baseball Savant

Click for year to year changes

FB Velo96.9 mph

Avg Spin2111 rpm

Whiff %28.3%

K %30.1%

BB %5.6%

Hard Hit %37.2%

Barrel %6.5%

xERA2.76

xBA Against0.202

xSLG Against0.323

BA Against0.211

SLG Against0.356

GB%42.3%

FB%23.2%

What These Stats Mean

FB Velo — Average fastball velocity. Harder throwers generate more swings and misses, setting up every other pitch in their arsenal. Velocity is the foundation of strikeout upside.

Avg Spin — Average spin rate across all pitches. Higher spin creates more movement and makes pitches harder to square up — elite spinners run better strikeout and batting average against numbers.

Whiff % — Swings-and-misses per swing. The most direct measure of a pitcher's ability to miss bats and the best leading indicator of strikeout rate.

K % — Strikeout rate per batter faced. The core fantasy pitching stat — high K% means reliable strikeout totals that hold up even in shorter starts.

BB % — Walk rate per batter faced. The primary control metric. High BB% tanks ERA and WHIP and keeps baserunners on constantly. Elite starters typically run below 7%.

Hard Hit % — Percentage of batted balls hit 95 mph or harder against. Low hard-hit% means weak contact, protecting both ERA and the defense behind the pitcher.

Barrel % — Percentage of batted balls barreled against. The most direct home run predictor — low barrel% pitchers rarely give up long balls.

xERA — Expected ERA based on contact quality allowed, removing the effect of sequencing, luck, and defense. Better predictor of future ERA than ERA itself.

xBA Against — Expected batting average opponents should hit based on contact quality. A gap between xBA and actual BA indicates unsustainable luck in either direction.

xSLG Against — Expected slugging allowed based on contact quality. High xSLG against predicts future extra-base damage; low xSLG means the pitcher is genuinely suppressing power.

BA Against — Actual batting average opponents are hitting — a key WHIP component. Check xBA to see if the number is sustainable.

SLG Against — Actual slugging allowed. Captures hits, doubles, triples, and home runs — lower means the pitcher is limiting the power damage he gives up.

GB% — Ground ball rate. High GB% pitchers generate double plays, limit home runs, and keep the ball in the park — great for protecting ERA and WHIP ratios.

FB% — Fly ball rate. High FB% pitchers give up more air contact — dangerous when combined with high exit velocity, less so when contact is soft.

Loading player data...

Year

Team

ERA

WHIP

2024

Pittsburgh Pirates

1.96

0.95

170

133.0

2025

Pittsburgh Pirates

1.97

0.95

216

187.2

2026

Pittsburgh Pirates

3.62

1.01

119

97.0

Career

Totals

2.35

0.96

505

417.2

Year

Team

ERA

WHIP

2023

3 teams▼

5.40

1.05

6.2

2024

Indianapolis Indians

0.99

0.91

27.1

Career

Totals

1.85

0.94