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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Paul Skenes' stats with Pirates are mind-blowing — especially the non-wins
Editor's note: This is a bonus Weird & Wild. To read this week's main W&W column, go here. I've always enjoyed visiting Pittsburgh in the summer. Then again, I'm not Paul Skenes. Maybe you've noticed this, but when the Greatest Pirates Pitching Phenom Ever takes the mound, amazing things happen. It would be cool if winning was one of those things. But hey, don't get greedy! Advertisement Here at Weird and Wild World HQ, we've spent some time looking at this. And maybe it's just us, but we're starting to notice a common theme running through these starts by Skenes, a once-in-a-generation talent, pitching for a team that mostly forces that generation to cover its eyes a lot. It doesn't matter how well Skenes pitches. It doesn't matter how long Skenes pitches. It doesn't matter if he's facing the Mets or the Marlins. It always ends the same. By which I mean you won't be reading many box scores that say: WP — Skenes That's just a fact. But now here come more facts: Over Skenes' past seven starts, he has a 1.77 ERA, he's averaging over six innings a start … and the Pirates are 2-5. Is that even possible? But there's more. Of course there's more. Over Skenes' 13 starts this season, he's leading the National League in bWAR, WHIP, innings pitched, quality starts, opponent average and even (cough, cough) a new-age stat known as Win Probability Added … and the Pirates have still found a way to ignore that 'win probability' stuff and go 5-8 when he pitches. But wait. It gets worse. Would you like to know how much worse? You've come to the right place. They're taking not winning to a whole new level — In his two seasons in the big leagues, Skenes is now up to 21 career starts in which he hasn't gotten a win. Somehow, it doesn't feel like that's his fault. His numbers, just in those non-wins: a 2.59 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings. Ready for the complete list of everyone in history with that many starts (or more) whose career ERA is that spectacular in their non-wins? (This is since earned runs became an official stat in 1913 — and not counting openers.) It won't take long. Here it comes: Paul Skenes — 2.59 That's a wrap on that list. (Source: Baseball Reference / Katie Sharp) Advertisement But here's even more perspective: Only one pitcher in history is even within half a run of that: Hoyt Wilhelm (who spent most of his career as a reliever), at 2.99. And the next closest active starter — Jacob deGrom — has an ERA in those games nearly a full run higher (at 3.54). So there's that. But also … Crazy Eights — Skenes has made three career starts of eight innings or longer. His ERA in those starts is 1.48. His record in those starts is … what else? … 0-3. The record of all other MLB starters over the past two seasons, in starts of eight innings or longer: How about 86-5! And just for fun … how about we throw in a few more tidbits where those came from? These are just in games he hasn't won: • Four non-wins this season in starts of five innings or longer, with no more than three hits allowed. That would be — shockingly, I know — the most of any pitcher in baseball. • Nine non-wins, in his career, in starts of five innings or longer, with no more than one run allowed. That's tied for (yep) the most in baseball in that span. • Ten non-wins, in his career, in starts of five innings or longer, with no more than one earned run allowed. That's tied for most in the NL, and it's one behind Yusei Kikuchi for most in baseball. All of this is happening at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers, in real life, to one of the special talents we've seen pass through our sport in this century. To everyone in Pittsburgh, we can only say: Sorry! And just seven weeks until Steelers training camp! GO DEEPER Pirates don't want to trade Paul Skenes. But they'd have to weigh these 5 prospect packages GO DEEPER Rosenthal: Would the Pirates trade Paul Skenes? A fascinating but unlikely idea for now
New York Times
30-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Please watch this Daulton Varsho catch. Plus: Guess the Padres bullpen ERA!
The Windup Newsletter ⚾ | This is The Athletic's MLB newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Windup directly in your inbox. The Yankees did it again. Plus: The Padres bullpen is unbelievably good, the Rockies are unbelievably bad, Daulton Varsho made an unbelievable catch and Ken has praise for Wilmer Flores. I'm Levi Weaver, here with Ken Rosenthal. Welcome to The Windup! How in the — I audibly yelped — yelped, and in a press box, where you're supposed to be professional — when I saw this play. Here's another angle. I have watched this roughly 100 times. Now, back to your regularly scheduled Windup. Yesterday was the 29th of April. You know what that means! Time for the Yankees to hit three straight home runs in a four-homer first inning! The last time it happened — also on a 29th day of a month, back in March — was against the Brewers and former Yankee Nestor Cortes. Here's what Jayson Stark dug up in that week's Weird & Wild column: Also, you know how many pitchers in the division-play era (1969-present) have ever allowed homers to the first three hitters they faced for their new team? That, according to STATS, would also be none. Of course. Advertisement I'm not sure if this one counts as the second time or not. Kyle Gibson pitched for the Orioles in 2023 before spending last year with the Cardinals. But as the Orioles' pitching depth waned this spring, they called their ol' pal Gibby to run it back in 2025. This was his first start with the Orioles this year, and sure enough: Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge and Ben Rice greeted him with back-to-back-to-back home runs. After a Paul Goldschmidt groundout, Cody Bellinger made it four dingers in the first inning. (Again.) The Yankees (18-12) have an off day on May 29 between an Angels/Dodgers road trip, but the 29ths of June-July-August will see them facing the A's, Rays and White Sox, so … stay tuned? From my latest notes column: Nearly 10 years later, it's a shame San Francisco Giants designated hitter Wilmer Flores is still probably best known for the trade that wasn't. Flores, now 33, evolved into one of the game's most respected veterans, revered by teammates and opponents alike. He also developed into an underappreciated hitter who began the week leading the majors with 28 RBIs. 'Flo's one of the most flexible, intelligent, prepared, and easygoing teammates I've ever been around,' former Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. 'Give me my choice of right-handed hitters, give me a big moment with everything on the line — and he's right there, shoulder to shoulder with the biggest stars in the game. Quiet assassin.' In 2015, Flores was with the Mets, a 23-year-old, homegrown utility infielder. As the trade deadline neared, the Mets agreed to send him to the Milwaukee Brewers. News of the deal — Flores and Zack Wheeler, who was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, for outfielder Carlos Gomez — leaked out while the Mets were playing at Citi Field. Flores, upon learning of the reports, grew visibly teary, but remained in the game because the deal was pending the standard medical review. As it turned out, the trade never came to fruition. The Mets backed out due to concern over a hip issue with Gomez. Advertisement Flores spent three more seasons with the Mets and one with the Diamondbacks before joining the Giants as a free agent in 2020. He has never been an All-Star and never won a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger. But after a difficult 2024 — Flores underwent season-ending knee surgery in August — he is again a force. While Flores will never be a Statcast darling — his average exit velocity is better than only 14 percent of all hitters, his bat speed only 3 percent better — he draws raves for his situational hitting. More notes here. I was looking for some other stat last night when I came across a shocking number. Would you like to guess what the Padres' bullpen ERA is? No really, take a guess. I asked a few others in the press box in Texas last night, and nobody got close. If I put the answer here, it'll spoil it, so here: click on this Google Doc. I was so surprised that I went back and double-checked that I had entered the parameters correctly. Really?! Yep! Here's the FanGraphs link if you wanna look for yourself. Going into last night's game against the Giants, the Padres (18-11) had three relievers with sub-1.00 ERAs: Robert Suarez (0.75), Jason Adam (0.60) and Wandy Peralta (0.77). The highest reliever ERA by anyone with more than five innings pitched? Yuki Matsui (2.92). So, what are they doing well? I asked our resident Padres expert Dennis Lin to help me understand, in one paragraph or less. Here's his answer: 💬 Pitcher-friendly Petco Park has done its part; Padres relievers collectively entered Tuesday with a ridiculous 0.80 ERA and a more reasonable (but still first-place) 2.71 xFIP at home. But the relievers themselves have just kept doing their parts, including on the road. While Suarez, Adam, Jeremiah Estrada and Adrian Morejon form one of the nastiest high-leverage quartets in the sport, middle relievers Yuki Matsui, Peralta and Alek Jacob have taken significant steps forward under beloved pitching coach Ruben Niebla. Remember the 2024 White Sox? Unless you're a fan who has successfully memory-holed all of it, of course you do. They broke records for futility. They lost so many games, it got nearly to 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' levels of yikes on the South Side. Through 29 games this year, the Rockies have an even worse record. In fact, at 4-25, it's the worst 29-game start in MLB history. Advertisement Even those White Sox were 6-23 at this point last year! They're still not good this year, but they currently have almost twice as many wins (seven) as the Rockies. How bad is it? I decided to investigate if the Rockies are actually worse than last year's White Sox. Here are a couple of context markers through the same number of games: Conclusion? The White Sox were probably worse, but the Rockies are picking their spots to be bad at pivotal times. To put it another way: If one team loses 8-0, but the other blows a 7-6 lead in the ninth, which one is the worse team? It's a rhetorical question, of course. It doesn't matter. Both teams lose (and both at a historic pace). More White Sox: They have new Bulls-themed City Connect jerseys. Every team has pitcher injuries, but the Dodgers have been a virtual triage unit recently. Fabian Ardaya spoke to pitching coach Mark Prior about what the team is doing to change that. In an ongoing story that has captivated the hearts and minds of countless dozens of people, Rob Manfred says he might reinstate Pete Rose. Tom Brady, Derek Jeter and Bobby Witt Jr. never gave up the card-collecting bug. Now they've each embarked on business ventures in the industry. You wouldn't think that 30 years old and playing backup catcher would be a prime circumstance for a breakout year, but that's how it's shaking out for Carson Kelly with the Cubs. The Reds are calling up a top prospect: Chase Petty will debut tonight against the Cardinals. A Mets fan who delighted a generation has passed away. Rest in peace, Seymour Weiner. 📫 Love The Windup? Check out The Athletic's other newsletters.
