When the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced Paul Skenes as the 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner, it didn’t just cap off one of the most dominant seasons in Pirates history – it gave Skenes the stage to make his statement: 2026 has to be the year the Pirates shake things up and start living up to their potential.
At just 23 years old, Skenes stormed through the league like a man on a mission, posting a 1.97 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 216 strikeouts across 187.2 innings. The mustache, the mound presence, the energy — it all clicked. He brought the swagger and dominance this city has been waiting for.
And yet, even as the hardware piled up, Skenes was quick to look beyond himself.
“The focus needs to be winning a World Series in Pittsburgh,” he said after the announcement, cutting through the celebration like a veteran who’s been there before.
It’s classic Skenes — confident, but not cocky. He knows individual accolades only matter if they lead to something bigger here in Pittsburgh.
“I have the Cy Young now,” he told us with a grin. “What else do I have to accomplish in this game? World Series Championship.”
That kind of talk might sound bold, but if you watched him all year, it’s hard to doubt him. Skenes didn’t just pitch — he set a tone. His intensity spread through the rotation, his leadership grew in real time, and his stuff? Electric doesn’t even begin to cover it.
The rest of the league noticed, too. Facing loaded lineups and the best stars in the league, he made it look easy — or at least inevitable. By August, hitters weren’t trying to beat him; they were trying to survive against him.
And as the season closed, Skenes turned the page the only way a true ace does: with unfinished business.
“Talk is cheap,” he said. “We need to show up and do it.”
That’s the kind of energy that turns awards into banners. Cherish him, Pittsburgh.
