Paul Skenes’ first start at Yankee Stadium didn’t last long, but it sure did impress.
With the Pirates not playing for much, they only had their rookie sensation throw two innings in a 9-4 win on Saturday. Skenes did so to perfection, not allowing a baserunner while striking out Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. with some as-advertised filth.
How are you even supposed to hit Paul Skenes?!?! 🤯
He strikes out Juan Soto AND Aaron Judge with straight filth pic.twitter.com/bqLJYHzyYn
— MLB (@MLB) September 28, 2024
Skenes, the favorite to win the National League’s Rookie of the Year Award after being drafted first overall in 2023, ended his season with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts over 133 innings and 23 starts.
“He’s been one of the big stories of Major League Baseball this year,” Aaron Boone said before the game. “First pick, doesn’t break camp, then starting the All-Star game. He’s obviously had a phenomenal year.”
Boone added that Skenes has “taken the league by storm and emerged as one of the game’s outstanding starters.”
Paul Skenes gives Jazz the Blues.
And smiles as he walks off the field, contemplating his dominance. pic.twitter.com/3DplaCSxQE
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 28, 2024
Meanwhile, the Yankees’ Rookie of the Year contender, Luis Gil, gave up four homers. Yasmani Grandal and Nick Gonzales hit solo shots off the righty, while Billy Cook and Jared Triolo mashed two-run homers.
Gil, an option to start in the ALDS, ended his regular season with a 3.50 ERA after logging 5.2 innings on Saturday. Despite season-long questions over his workload, the flamethrower made 29 starts coming off of Tommy John surgery.
“I don’t know if I’d [say] surprised, but not that I expected any of that,” Boone said of Gil’s durability. “I think it was a little bit of an unknown in how he was going to respond and how he was going to handle it all.
“He’s obviously held up well.”
As for the Yankees’ offense, Chisholm hit a solo homer in the fifth frame and an RBI double in the eighth. They scored another run on a Pirates error in the sixth before adding one more on a Soto single in the seventh. However, Soto was thrown out by a mile, ending the inning and killing a potential rally, while trying to advance to second.
The Pirates got some runs back with Will Warren pitching in the ninth, as Grandal picked up an RBI single before Nick Yorke crushed one more two-run homer.
Now the Bombers will look to end their regular season with a victory before a long layoff prior to the postseason. Clarke Schmidt, another candidate to start in the ALDS, will pitch Game 162. He could give himself an edge over Gil with a strong performance.
Bailey Falter will start for Pittsburgh.