20 Times Paul Skenes SHOCKED the World!

Another 3-2. He struck him out! Let him have it! 99 Skeens, a 1-2-3 first. He made grown men look like little leaguers, turned 102 miles per hour into a casual Tuesday, and in just a few starts, left the baseball world speechless. This is Paul Skeens. And these are the 20 jaw-dropping moments where he didn't just dominate, he broke baseball as we knew it. From viral K's to rule-bending showdowns, let's count down every time Paul Skeens flipped the sport on its head. 20. The triple-digit debut, May 11, 2024. Against the Cubs, in his first MLB start ever, Skeens came out firing like he was gunning for a no-hitter on day one. He threw 17 pitches over 100 miles per hour in just 4 innings, more than any pitcher had done in a single game all season. Forget adjusting to MLB hitters, Skeens came in like he was already the ace. Even his final pitch, 100.1 miles per hour, for electric. 19. The 100-mile-per-hour splitter. Pitchers don't throw splitters at 100, not unless their name is Paul Skeens. In a start against the Brewers, Skeens threw a 100.1-mile-per-hour split-fingered fastball, a pitch so rare it broke Pitching Ninja's Twitter feed for a full day. It moved like a breaking ball, it landed like a hammer, and nobody saw it coming. 18th near-no-hitter in just his second start, May 17, 2024, versus Cubs. In only his second career MLB start, on May 17, 2024, at Wrigley Field, Skeens delivered a nearly perfect performance. Six no-hit innings, 11 strikeouts, and just one walk before exiting after 100 pitches, he struck out the first seven batters he faced, a feat linked to only two other rookies in the modern era of the sun.com, and averaged 99.3 miles per hour on his fastball. An 8-nil lead had him pulled in the seventh, but he'd already stamped his presence on MLB's radar. 17. The catcher connection. Battery power. Let's talk chemistry. Skeens and his catcher? None other than Henry Davis, his college teammate at LSU. It was the first time a No. 1 overall pick threw to a former No. 1 pick he already had a relationship with. That chemistry showed fast. Davis trusted Skeens to throw any pitch in any count. The result? Immediate dominance. 16. The mustache heard round the league. It started as a joke. A throwback. Vintage-styled, top-gun-looking mustache. But it quickly became a statement. Skeens leaned into the identity, and suddenly, kids were showing up to games with fake mustaches. Even Pirates teammates admitted it brought swagger to the clubhouse. And when you're throwing 102 with that kind of style, it's not just baseball. It's branding. 15. Blowing away MVPs vs. Bryce Harper. Facing Bryce Harper for the first time should be a moment of nerves. Not for Skeens. He stared down the two-time MVP and blew him away with three straight fastballs. 102.1 mph, 101.8 mph, 101.5 mph. Harper didn't even blink. Because he didn't have time to. That was the moment the league officially took notice. 14. One-hit shutout in AAA. Before he ever threw a pitch in Pittsburgh, Skeens made AAA look like t-ball. He struck out 8-over-6 shutout innings and allowed just one hit. Every batter looked completely overmatched. Scouts called it the most dominant minor league outing since DeGrom's rehab tour. And it became obvious. This guy wasn't staying down long. 13. College World Series legend. Let's rewind. Before the Pirates. Before AAA. Back at LSU, Skeens delivered one of the greatest college pitching seasons of all time. In the 2023 College World Series, he mowed down hitters with a 1.69 ERA and 209 strikeouts in 122 innings. He led LSU to a national title and won the Dick Hauser Trophy. Basically, college baseball's Cy Young. The moment he lifted that trophy, the whole MLB knew what was coming. 12. Fastest called-up number one pick ever. Paul Skeens didn't waste time in the minors. He became the first number one overall pick in over 40 years to make his MLB debut less than a year after being drafted. That kind of acceleration? It's usually reserved for legends. Or Paul Skeens. 11th social media meltdown. His debut broke baseball Twitter. His first warm-up toss at PNC Park cracked 100 miles per hour. And within minutes, his name was trending number one in sports. Pitching ninja clips went viral. He gained 200,000 Instagram followers in under 24 hours. Not bad for a guy who still hadn't thrown 50 pro innings. If you're enjoying this ride through Skeens' rise, do us a favor. Subscribe to Foul Ball and tap that bell. We've got more fire coming and you don't want to miss it. 10. No runs, no hits, no problem. June 2024. In a game against the Nationals, Skeens flirted with no-hit territory. He took a no-no into the sixth, baffling hitters with that 88 miles per hour splinker and 100-plus gas. Even though the bid was broken up, the dominance was undeniable. It was clear. The Pirates had a new ace. 9. 13 strikeouts in six innings. You read that right. Against the Rays, Skeens struck out 13 batters, matching the most ever by a Pirates rookie in a single game. His fastball was untouchable. His slider made grown men bail out. By the end, even Rays fans were clapping. 8. Rookie of the Year favorite by July. By mid-season, Skeens wasn't just in the Rookie of the Year race. He was leading it. With a sub-2.50 ERA and K per 9 rates through the roof, he had analysts comparing him to Dwight Gooden. The hype? Real. The numbers? Even better. 7. The Paul Skeens effect. After Skeens' call-up, Pirates ticket sales spiked by 22% for home starts. TV ratings doubled. Even visiting stadiums started filling up when he was scheduled to pitch. It wasn't just a debut. It was a movement. 6. Catching pop stars. Literally. Oh, and in case you didn't know, Paul Skeens is dating Livvy Dunn, social media phenom and LSU gymnast. So, yeah, he throws 100, dominates hitters, rocks a mustache, and shows up courtside at NBA games with TikTok royalty. Off the field, he's winning too. 5. 8-inning gem against the Braves. Most pitchers get humbled against Atlanta's lineup. Skeens? He took a sledgehammer to it. He pitched 8 shutout innings, gave up only 2 hits, and struck out 9. All while facing the league's most dangerous offense. Even Ronald Acuna Jr. had to tip his cap. 4. The fastest strikeout in MLB history. According to StatCast, Skeens recorded the fastest strikeout by a starting pitcher in MLB history. 103.2 mph, swinging strike 3. There's velocity. And then, there's Skeens-level velocity. 3. Changing the Pirates' identity. Let's be real. Pittsburgh hasn't had a true ace in decades. But with Skeens, that narrative's changing fast. He's bringing swagger, confidence, and a reason for Pirates fans to believe again. For the first time in a long time, hope lives at PNC Park. The 10-game heater. From June through mid-August, Skeens went on a heater. 10 straight quality starts, a 1.78 ERA, and nearly 90 Ks. During that stretch, he looked like a Cy Young veteran. Not a rookie with under 20 starts. By the end of it, the league had one question. Who gave this guy the cheat code? 1. The 2024 All-Star Start. Capping it all off. Skeens was named the starting pitcher for the National League in the 2024 All-Star game. In less than 12 months, he went from college prospect to the face of MLB pitching. He threw a 101 mph heater to open the game. And didn't look back. That night, it wasn't just a coronation. It was a warning. Paul Skeens is here. And he's only just getting started.