PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed starting pitcher Paul Skenes has earned praise and recognition from fans, writers and pundits for his performances, but his fellow baseball players also see the greatness which emanates from every appearance on the mound
The MLB Players Association Players Choice Awards named Skenes the National League Outstanding Pitcher of the Year.
The best on the bump!
Congrats to Paul Skenes on being named the @MLBPA Players Choice Awards NL Outstanding Pitcher of the Year. pic.twitter.com/Bjum2W10Li
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) October 29, 2025
Skenes had just a 10-10 record in 32 starts with the Pirates, but a 1.97 ERA over 187.2 innings pitched, 216 strikeouts to 42 walks, a .199 opposing batting average and a 0.95 WHIP, along with a 10.36 K/9, a 2.01 BB/9 and a 5.14 K/BB.
He ranked amongst the best pitchers in the MLB, with the lowest ERA, tied for the fourth most strikeouts, the fourth lowest WHIP, the sixth lowest batting average and the 10th most innings pitched, plus the fifth best K/BB, seventh best K/9 and ninth best BB/9.
Skenes also ranked highly in the NL, with the lowest WHIP, the fourth lowest batting average, tied for the second most strikeouts and the fourth most innings pitched, as well as the second best K/BB and both the fifth best K/9 and BB/9.
His play made him the starting pitcher for the NL in the All-Star Game, becoming the first pitcher to start consecutive All-Star games in the first two seasons in the MLB.
He’ll likely finish the season as the NL Cy Young Award winner, making him the first Pirates pitcher to do so since Doug Drabek did in 1990 and the third overall, with Pirates Hall of Famer Vern Law winning the Cy Young Award, with no league distinction, in 1960.
Aug 22, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates former pitcher and 1960 Cy Young Award winner Vern Law (left) poses for a photo with pitcher Paul Skenes (right) after Law was inducted into the Pirates organization Hall of Fame before the game against the Colorado Rockies at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
He has already earned two honors following the season, with Baseball Digest naming him their Pitcher of the Year and the Sporting News naming Skenes to their All-Star team.
Skenes also had one of the best pitching seasons in recent years and made some MLB history along the way.
He was the first NL pitcher with a sub-2.00 ERA and 200+ strikeouts since right-hander Jacob DeGrom did it with the New York Mets in 2018. He is the first MLB pitcher to finish with a sub-2.00 ERA in a season since right-hander Justin Verlander did so with the Houston Astros in 2022.
Skenes became the first pitcher in MLB history to finish with 200+ strikeouts and a sub-2.00 ERA and still not have a winning record, since ERA became a stat in 1913.
He was the first qualified pitcher to post a sub-2.00 ERA in a season at 23 years or younger, since right-hander Dwight Gooden did so at age 20 with the Mets in 1985.
Skenes also made Pirates history, with his 216 strikeouts the most for a right-handed pitcher in the live-ball era (since 1920). Only Ed Morris, who had 326 strikeouts in 1886 and 298 strikeouts in 1885, the most and second most in a season in franchise history, has more than him.
His 216 strikeouts rank seventh most in a season in franchise history and fifth most in the live-ball era.
Skenes is just one of three Pirates pitchers that led the MLB in ERA, with right-hander John Candelaria last doing so in 1977 and right-hander Cy Blanton doing it first in 1935, according to OptaStats.
Sep 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
CBS Mornings exclusively revealed the winners of the Players Choice Awards, which included Skenes and a few other great baseball players.
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh won both the American League Outstanding Player Award and the Player of the Year Award. Detroit Tigers left-handed starting pitcher Tarik Skubal won the AL Outstanding Pitcher Award and Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber won the NL Outstanding Player Award.
The Players Choice Awards also honored the two best rookies, catcher Drake Baldwin of the Atlanta Braves (NL) and first baseman Nick Kurtz of the Athletics (AL), plus come back players in right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Braves (NL) and right-handed starting pitcher Jacob DeGrom of the Texas Rangers (AL).