Paul Skenes

It is rare for a rookie to live up to the superstar spotlight, but Paul Skenes arrived in 2024 and jumped right into the superstar role. The 22-year-old went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. He struck out 170 batters in only 133 innings, and hitters looked lost against him in almost every start. Skenes had a sterling 5.31 K/BB rate and featured a full five-pitch arsenal to decimate opposing batters. The only demerit to his resume was that his xERA was 2.53, but that is just splitting hairs at this point. Skenes carries some slight risk because of his hard-throwing nature, but he has not had arm trouble up to this point in his career. It's a coin flip between him and Tarik Skubal for fantasy SP1 in 2025, and no one will begrudge a fantasy manager who wants the young fireballer.

Paul Skenes shines against Yankees

Paul Skenes delivered a flawless relief performance on Saturday, striking out three in two hitless, scoreless innings as the Pirates toppled the Yankees 9-4.

Fantasy Impact

This outing further cements Skenes's status as a top-tier fantasy option, especially considering his stellar season stats, including a 1.96 ERA and 11.5 K/9. His ability to maintain a low WHIP (0.95) and high strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.31) adds significant value in categories that reward precision and control. Fantasy managers should continue to view Skenes as a must-start player, as his performances consistently contribute positively across multiple pitching categories.