Paul Skenes DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes hit an uncharacteristic bump in the road in Tuesday's 5-3 loss to the Cardinals. Skenes pitched six innings, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. The 2024 National League Rookie of the Year had two great starts before Tuesday, bringing his season totals to a 1-1 record with a 3.44 ERA, a 9.82 K/9 rate, and a 1.47 BB/9 rate in 18 1/3 IP. Even the strongest players are bound to have off days, and Skenes should be positioned to rebound nicely in his next scheduled matchup, which will be a favorable one against the Nationals.

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes picked up his first win of the 2025 season on Wednesday in a 4-2 victory of the hosting Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Skenes went seven innings in the outing, allowing just one unearned run on three hits while walking none and striking out six. While it wasn't the dominant outing we're already used to seeing from last year's National League Rookie of the Year, his fantasy managers won't complain about it at all. After picking up a no-decision last Thursday on Opening Day versus the Miami Marlins -- he allowed two runs while striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings -- the hard-throwing 22-year-old phenom now has a strong 1.46 ERA as he heads into his third outing of the year, which is expected to come next Tuesday against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals. Skenes is a must-start every time out in fantasy.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes struck out seven in the first Opening Day start of his career, but he ended up with a no-decision after the Marlins staged a late-inning comeback to walk off as winners by a score of 5-4. Skenes needed 94 pitches to get through 5 1/3 innings but only allowed three hits and two walks. Both walks came in the sixth inning before he was replaced, and one of those two runners came around to score on a wild pitch after he left the game. Even though he didn't get the win, Skenes still looked strong and ready to anchor fantasy rotations all season long. He became the youngest Pirates pitcher to make an Opening Day start since at least 1900 and the youngest in the MLB since Jose Fernandez in 2014 for the Marlins. He is also the fastest player to go from No. 1 overall pick to an Opening Day starting pitcher.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes was named the Opening Day starter. Skenes will face the Miami Marlins. The former first-overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft made his MLB debut last May and was one of the most valuable pitchers in fantasy. He tossed 133 innings and held a stellar 1.96 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. He tallied strikeouts at an impressive 33.1 percent rate. He placed in the 97th percentile in xERA and 94th percentile in xBA. He also generated ground balls at an impressive 52.3 percent rate (89th percentile). Skenes was named NL Rookie of the Year. He tallied at least eight punchouts in 13 of his 23 appearances. Skenes will be viewed as a top DFS play on Opening Day as he will face the Marlins who are projected to have one of the worst offensive lineups in the National League.

The Pittsburgh Pirates' Grapefruit League game on Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies was rained out, but right-hander Paul Skenes still threw a 45-pitch live batting practice session at LECOM Park, according to the team. The 22-year-old will have to wait to make his spring training debut in a game, but it has nothing to do with any kind of injury. The former first overall pick out of LSU took the league by storm last year in his MLB debut, going 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA (2.44 FIP), 0.95 WHIP, 170 strikeouts and 32 walks in 133 innings over 23 starts to become a first-time All-Star while also winning the National League Rookie of the Year honors. The sky is the limit for Skenes in 2025 in what will be his first full MLB campaign with the Bucs. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 2 fantasy pitcher and the No. 11 overall player.