3 days ago
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Pittsburgh Pirates may not have come close to making it to the MLB playoffs this past season, yet superstar Paul Skenes is still getting rewarded.
In just his second season in the majors, the pitcher clinched a unanimous National League Cy Young Award victory after leading the big leagues with a 1.97 ERA while striking out 216 batters.
And, despite not even being eligible until after the 2026 season, the 23-year-old has been handed a major payday following his historic performance.
The right-hander will receive a record $3,436,343 from this year's pre-arbitration bonus pool, raising his two-year total to $5,588,400 under the initiative to direct more money to top younger players.
The $50 million pool was implemented in the latest collective bargaining agreement in 2022 with a view to rewarding MLB's star players who aren't yet arbitration eligible.
Once players reach three years of service time, they become eligible for arbitration, assuming they haven't yet signed a contract for the following season.
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes will receive a record $3,436,343 payday
The MLB star, who is dating Livvy Dunne, isn't eligible for arbitration until after 2026 season
Skenes, who only made his MLB debut in May 2024, had an $875,000 salary in the major leagues after earning $564,946 in pay last year.
Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. had the previous high of $3,077,595 from the pool for the 2024 season.
Skenes was selected by Pittsburgh with the first overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, before putting up a superb ERA of 1.96 after 23 starts in his rookie season the following year.
He's under Pittsburgh's control for the remainder of this decade but given the Pirates' recent woes and their track record of reluctance when it comes to paying their big stars, trade rumors have already begun to swirl.
In the previous campaign he recorded a 1.97 ERA after becoming the team's starting pitcher, making him MLB's first starter to earn a sub-2.00 ERA since 2022, as well as 216 strikeouts in 187.2 innings.
He is yet to make it into the postseason with the Pirates, however, after they finished bottom of the National League Central two seasons on the bounce with a miserable overall record of 147-177.
Skenes clinched a unanimous National League Cy Young Award victory earlier this month
And those struggles sparked claims that he could be eyeing the exit with Skenes linked to the New York Yankees this offseason.
But earlier this month he poured cold water on those rumors, and insists he is fully focused on his current club and turning things around in Pittsburgh.
'There's a reason Jeff Passan didn't write about, I'll say that,' Skenes told the Daily Mail when asked about the reports, referencing ESPN's most-trusted baseball insider.
'Rumors are rumors, I was frustrated for a little bit, but it doesn't really matter. I've had some time to think about it, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to speak to the Pittsburgh media and clear the air over nothing, basically.'
He then added: 'It is what it is.'
