The trophy collections of Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal continue to expand steadily.
The next phase in the development of baseball’s top two pitchers involves winning, ideally with their current teams.
Skenes, aged 23, completed his rapid ascent to stardom by securing the National League Cy Young Award unanimously on Wednesday. The Pittsburgh Pirates standout received this accolade from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Shortly after, Skubal claimed the prestigious pitching honor in the American League for the second consecutive year as a key player for the Detroit Tigers.
Despite their appreciation for the recognition, both players expressed eagerness for their teams to excel in the upcoming 2026 season.
However, there are uncertainties ahead.
Uncertain Future with Current Clubs
Skubal, aged 28, is heading into the final year under club control. While he desires to continue with the Detroit Tigers beyond the upcoming season, he acknowledges the possibility of being traded due to financial considerations, given the significant salary increase he may command as a free agent.
A similar situation looms for Skenes, who is under team control for the rest of the decade. Despite this, he debunked reports suggesting his desire to leave Pittsburgh.
“I am focused on winning and achieving success in Pittsburgh,” stated Skenes in response to the rumors.
The Pittsburgh Pirates finished at the bottom of the NL Central in 2025, far behind the leading Milwaukee. Skenes, the first pitcher since Dwight Gooden to win Rookie of the Year and then the Cy Young Award in consecutive seasons, believes that Pittsburgh is closer to contending than perceived.
“Contrary to external perceptions, Pittsburgh is underestimated in terms of winning. We aim to change that,” Skenes emphasized.
Pirates’ Ace Shines in Debut Full Season
Skenes, the top pick by the Pirates in the 2023 draft after a successful college career, excelled in 2025. He led the league in ERA (1.97) and struck out 216 batters in 187 1/3 innings during his first complete major league season.
Despite his remarkable performance, Skenes needed late offensive support to avoid becoming the first Cy Young-winning starting pitcher with a losing record. He won three of his last four games, concluding the season with a 10-10 record.
Despite his average win-loss ratio, the towering 6-foot-6 right-hander secured the top spot on all 30 ballots. Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies received all second-place votes, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers finished third.
Sanchez’s option prices for 2029 and 2030 increased due to his Cy Young finalist status.
Skubal earned 26 first-place votes in the AL from a separate BBWAA panel. The remaining four votes went to Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox, who finished as the runner-up. Hunter Brown of the Houston Astros claimed the third spot.
Both Skenes and Skubal were starters in the All-Star Game this year. The last time both All-Star Game starters won the Cy Young Awards in the same season was in 2001 when Johnson and Clemens achieved this feat.
The MVP awards for both leagues will be announced on Thursday.
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers is a strong contender to win the NL MVP for the fourth time, including twice in the AL.
In the AL, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees aims for his third MVP title, facing tough competition from Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh.
