Pirates' Skenes Makes History with 404 Ks

The 23-year-old righty recorded six strikeouts in his fourth MLB start of the season, pushing his career total to 404. Skenes became just the 20th pitcher in the modern era to reach the 400-strikeout mark within 59 career starts, with Spencer Strider being the most recent to accomplish the feat. Skenes picked up his third win of the season, lowering his ERA to 4.00, while helping the Pirates improve to 10-6 atop the NL Central.

Fresh off a Cy Young-winning 2025 campaign, Skenes continues to build his case as one of baseball's premier right-handers. The Pirates' ace is under team control through 2029, with reports suggesting a potential extension could cost north of $400 million. Despite his success, Skenes has emphasized his desire to build something in Pittsburgh, stating 'the goal is to win in Pittsburgh.' catcross.org