Skenes finishes season with sub-2.00 ERA as Pirates beat Reds in 11 innings

Paul Skenes capped his first full big-league season with a closing performance that underscored his status as the Pirates’ ace for the present and the foreseeable future. In the Pirates’ 4-3, 11-inning win over the Reds at Great American Ball Park, the right-hander worked six shutout innings and struck out seven before handing the game to Pittsburgh’s bullpen, which kept the Reds from catching up in the late frames. He ended the outing by freezing Spencer Steer with a 98-mph fastball for the final out of his six-inning stint, a reminder of the raw stuff that has defined his year and the season-ending push toward the NL Cy Young conversation. The win also reflected a season in which Skenes emerged as the clear centerpiece of a Pirates rotation that finished strong as the calendar turned to October.

By the time the night ended, Skenes had finished with a 1.97 ERA, the lowest mark among qualified pitchers 23 or younger since Dwight Gooden in 1985, per MLB.com. He also set a Pirates’ single-season record for strikeouts by a right-handed pitcher with 216, and opponents hit only .199 against him. The game produced a no-decision for him, leaving Skenes at a 10-10 record on the year despite leading the league in ERA and delivering a season of eye-popping efficiency and consistency. His final line for 2025 underscores the degree to which he redefined expectations for a pitcher who was once viewed as an extraordinary prospect and now stands as a legitimate, historic figure in the Pirates’ franchise history.

Livvy Dunne, Skenes’ girlfriend, watched from the stands as he authored another high-profile performance and helped Pittsburgh survive a tense, late-inning stretch to take the season finale in extras. The atmosphere around the ballpark mirrored the attention Skenes has drawn this season, with fans and teammates alike watching a player who has repeatedly turned dominant outings into momentum for a team chasing a postseason berth. Pirates first baseman Horwitz lauded Skenes, describing him as the best pitcher in the world and underscoring the high regard in which he is held inside the organization and among observers around the league.

Looking back across the year, Skenes arrived in the majors with a pedigree built on LSU’s national title and a No. 1 overall pick tag in 2023, and he delivered on those expectations in a big way. He went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA last season, finishing third in NL Cy Young voting and capturing NL Rookie of the Year. This season, his results have only reinforced the belief that he is a franchise-altering talent. The Pirates have publicly signaled that the emerging star could be the centerpiece of their rotation for years to come, and industry observers widely expect him to contend for NL Cy Young honors again this offseason given the sustained dominance, minimal walks, and the almost unhittable pitch mix he has developed.

Wednesday’s game also offered a snapshot of the broader playoff picture. Pittsburgh ultimately won in extras, a result that, in combination with the Dodgers’ win over the Diamondbacks, kept the Mets in possession of the final NL playoff spot. It was a reminder that even as Skenes put forth one of the season’s signature performances, the postseason picture in the NL was still very much in flux, with several teams jostling for position down the stretch.

In leading the rotation through a season of record-setting numbers and near-meteoric growth, Skenes pushed his case beyond the novelty of a phenom and into the realm of a cornerstone. He finished the season with seven strikeouts in this finale, bringing his total to 216 for the year and reinforcing his status as the Pirates’ most important pitcher. Opponents hit just one figure in the .199 range against him, a testament to the combination of velocity, movement, and elite control he displayed week after week in 2025.

As the calendar turns toward the offseason, Skenes’ trajectory remains the defining story for Pittsburgh. The combination of historic youth-era metrics, a growing repertoire, and a year-long demonstration of durability positions him as the centerpiece for whatever the Pirates build around in the coming seasons. If the year’s final chapter is any guide, the organization has in Skenes a talent capable of carrying a franchise into meaningful contention for years to come.