At every turn, Paul Skenes has obliterated expectations.
The Pirates’ young ace went from first overall draft pick to big leaguer in just 10 months, faster than any other No. 1 pick since 1978. And since his arrival, Skenes has shined, posting a microscopic 1.99 ERA despite being the youngest rotation arm in MLB. A truncated but shimmering first-half earned him the honor of starting the All-Star Game for the National League, making him the first rookie to do so since Hideo Nomo in 1995.
And the Pirates, long a punchless punch line, remain in the playoff picture in August for the first time in nearly a decade.