It doesn't take long for Major League hitters to make adjustments to rookie pitchers. Paul Skenes is no ordinary rookie though. And he knows it.
"Go ahead and adjust," the Pirates rookie said when asked about hitter adjustments. "Good luck."
"Go ahead and adjust. Good luck." -Paul Skenes on hitters having more film to watch now pic.twitter.com/nzq9wwStBc
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 17, 2024
The Cubs faced Skenes in his MLB debut May 11. He couldn't get out of the fifth, and wound up giving up three runs (two inherited allowed by a reliever) on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Making his second start against Chicago, this time in Wrigley Field, would be a good barometer not only for how he adjusted after his first start, but how MLB hitters would fare facing him a second time.
MORE: Everything to know about Paul Skenes' pitch mix
The early returns were a good sign for the Pirates. Skenes was filthy right out of the gate, painting the corners with his 100-plus fastball and offering unhittable off-speed offerings of a mid-90s splinker and mid-80s slider.
Over the first two innings, the Pirates could have sat their entire infield and outfield in the stands to watch as Skenes carved up every batter that came up to the plate, setting each down on strikes. He then struck out the first batter in the bottom of the third before Pete Crow-Armstrong grounded out to first for Chicago's first non-strikeout of the game.
Paul Skenes, 7th Consecutive K to start the game.
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 17, 2024
And the streak ended with this one. pic.twitter.com/B2UbeKGbbZ
Where did Skenes' run of seven straight strikeouts to open a game rank in MLB history? Here's what you need to know.
MORE: What is a splinker?
Most strikeouts to start a game
Skenes reached the inning in which he could have made history. He just came up two batters shy of the record.
Pablo Lopez and Mickey Welch share the all-time record with nine straight punchouts to open a game. On July 11, 2021, Lopez, then with the Marlins, struck out the first nine Braves he faced. Welch, pitching for the Giants, struck out nine straight Blues on Aug. 28, 1884, though the ninth batter reached on a dropped third strike.
The modern record before Lopez had been eight, which was shared jointly with Jim Deshaies in 1986, Jacob deGrom in 2014 and German Marquez in 2018, according to MLB.com.
MLB's Sarah Langs reported the seven consecutive strikeouts was the longest by any Pirate to start a game and tied for the longest by any pitcher in the game with Francisco Liriano (June 1, 2013), and Erik Bedard (May 3, 1012). Among rookie starters, it was the third-longest for a rookie since 1920, trailing only deGrom's eight on Sept. 14, 2014, and Deshaies' eight on Sept. 23, 1986.
Paul Skenes stats
The Cubs did not adjust over the remainder of the game. He fanned 11 total over six innings, walking only one batter. Chicago did not have a hit in any of his six innings on the mound.
Of the players who didn't strike out or take a walk, only one managed to hit a ball out of the infield. Skenes generated a total of 22 swings and misses and he threw a total of 12 pitches at or over 100 mph.
The next inning after Skenes left, Christopher Morel hit a single to right against Carmen Mlodzinski to break up the combined no-hitter attempt.
Paul Skenes pitch count
Why didn't Skenes come out to pitch the seventh? That would be his pitch count. Skenes left the game having thrown exactly 100 pitches, with his final offering coming in at a blazing 100 mph to strike out Mike Tauchman.
This season, Skenes has exceeded 80 pitches only once: his MLB debut, when he threw 84 pitches against the Cubs. Getting to 100 was a new high for the 2023 first overall pick, meaning there was no chance he could plausibly finish off the no-hitter.
Most strikeouts in a game by a rookie
There is a legitimate chance this record will never be touched in baseball history. Cubs rookie Kerry Wood, pitched against the Astros on May 6, 1998, in his fifth career outing. He allowed one hit and no walks while striking out 20, tying the modern MLB record for most strikeouts in a nine-inning game by any pitcher.
That outing passed the previous rookie record held by Expos starter Bill Gullickson, who fanned 18 against the Cubs on Sept. 10, while allowing only four hits and two walks.