Not solely was Skenes chosen to the sport on Sunday, he additionally began the Pirates sport in Seattle and was masterful, throwing 5 extra shutout innings and hanging out a season-high 10 batters earlier than inexplicably being lifted after simply 78 pitches.
For all of that dominant work, he earned one more no-decision and continues a completely stunning run of begins the place he has not been capable of get a win.
Not solely did Skenes go away with no run help — once more — the Pirates’ bullpen surrendered a solo residence run simply three batters after he left the sport. It was the one offense Seattle would want in a 1-0 sequence sweep that noticed the Pirates rating zero runs within the three video games.
Skenes has not really had a win for himself since Could 28, and solely has one since Could 1. He has been shut out within the win column since then regardless of having a 1.74 ERA in his 13 begins over that stretch. These numbers defy logic.
For the season, his particular person report is barely a dismal 4-7 regardless of permitting one earned run or much less in 13 of his 19 begins.
He has allowed greater than two earned runs simply 3 times.
That report would be the one factor that may maintain him again in Cy Younger voting, and it could be the one factor that stops him from getting a second straight All-Star begin when any individual like, say, Philadelphia Phillies starter Zack Wheeler owns a 9-3 report and was masterful himself on Sunday with a whole sport, 12-strikeout win towards the Cincinnati Reds.
However that is simply one other instance of how a win-loss report is a horrible metric for evaluating beginning pitchers. It is a crew stat and under no circumstances a mirrored image of how the person pitcher is performing.
Whereas Skenes’ win-loss report is beneath .500, and whereas the Pirates left Sunday’s sport with a dropping report in Skenes’ begins total (9-10), each piece of goal proof factors to him being the most effective beginning pitcher within the Nationwide League and arguably the most effective in MLB.
After Sunday’s begin, his ERA for the season is right down to 1.94. No one within the Nationwide League is best, and solely Houston’s Hunter Brown (1.82 coming into Sunday) was decrease.
His 0.92 WHIP can also be second within the Nationwide League (behind solely Wheeler’s 0.84) and sixth within the league.
He additionally entered Sunday main the Nationwide League in WAR (Wins Above Substitute) amongst beginning pitchers at 4.5, whereas additionally being among the many league’s leaders in innings pitched.
He is the most effective beginning pitcher within the Nationwide League. He is within the prime two or three in MLB, and maybe even on the prime. He’s an All-Star for the second time in as a few years to begin his profession. He must be beginning the sport once more. Even when he by no means really will get any wins.
