The Pittsburgh Pirates should try to avoid the same fate with Paul Skenes that Stephen Strasburg went through.
The flamethrowing 21-year-old is 7-2 with a 2.30 ERA and has struck out 121 batters over 98 innings pitched. Skenes' hot start to his career has him in the thick of the National League Rookie of the Year race with San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill.
Including the minor leagues, Strasburg pitched 123.1 innings in his first full season as a pro. That came on the heels of him pitching 109 innings in his final season at San Diego State in 2009. There are also some potentially concerning signs bubbling to the surface over his last two starts. Skenes averaged less than 98 miles per hour on his fastball per Baseball Savant's metrics and in his last outing, he walked a career-high four batters.
If Skenes begins to struggle, shutting him down may become the Pirates' only option. Their best years are in 2025 and beyond, and if they're going to reach their ceiling, they need Skenes on the mound. A similar plan with Strasburg may have kept him healthy for his entire second season and could have helped turn Washington into a playoff contender sooner.
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