Pirates' Paul Skenes struggles in Cy Young candidacy race

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, is not a contender for this season's award, as reported on June 16, 2026. Despite a respectable performance with 99 strikeouts in 15 starts, Skenes holds a 6-6 record. MLB insiders note that his current standing is overshadowed by frontrunners Jacob Misiorowski and Cristopher Sanchez, who boast superior statistics. Misiorowski leads the majors with a 1.34 ERA and 131 strikeouts, while Sanchez has an MLB-best 5.0 WAR and notable ERA. While Skenes is having a challenging season, his statistics still merit consideration for the award.

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