The Pittsburgh Pirates secured a 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, marking their third consecutive shutout win, as their pitching staff continued to impress this season. Amid this success, Paul Skenes has emerged with a historic pitching pace, drawing comparisons to Pirates legend Babe Adams from 1913.

Strong Pitching Leads Pirates to Victory Over Cardinals

In the recent game, pitchers Mitch Keller, Dennis Santana, and Isaac Mattson combined efforts to keep the Cardinals scoreless, contributing to the 5-0 shutout triumph under manager Don Kelly’s guidance. This performance exemplifies the growing strength of the Pirates’ pitching staff during a challenging season.

Paul Skenes Approaching Rare Performance Levels for Pittsburgh

Paul Skenes stands out as a remarkable talent this year, currently on track to achieve an 8-plus Wins Above Replacement (WAR) rating, a milestone unseen by a Pirates player since Babe Adams in 1913. WAR measures a player’s overall value compared to a replacement-level counterpart, highlighting Skenes’ significant impact on the team.

Skenes has compiled four shutout games over seven appearances, lowering his earned run average (ERA) to 2.03 during the 2025 season. He has struck out 115 batters across 111 innings while allowing just 72 hits, underscoring his dominance on the mound. Such numbers place him alongside top position players in terms of value, a rare achievement for pitchers this season.

Impact of Skenes’ Performance amid Team Challenges

Although the Pirates trail the first-place Chicago Cubs by 13.5 games heading into the 2025 MLB All-Star Break, Skenes’ outstanding contributions provide a source of hope for Pittsburgh fans. His ability to maintain consistency and excellence offers promise for improvement in the upcoming weeks and seasons under Don Kelly’s management.