Baseball’s revolving door of ‘best pitcher alive’ just locked in a new occupant—and no, it’s not the latest flame-throwing phenom or a hyped-up rookie with a 102-mph fastball. Paul Skenes might be the future, but this title currently belongs to a $10 million ace who just ran laps around the competition. Triple Crown? Cy Young? Say hello to dominance. As per several MLB insiders, there is one pitcher who is better and more dangerous than Paul Skenes: Tarik Skubal, and looking at things, they might be right.

With Tarik Skubal having been here longer and more experienced, he might have an edge over Skenes. During an interview, an executive said, “Might be the best in the sport right now,” and to back this up, another scout noted, “Best there is right now.” Well, this looks to be the truth; if you want proof, the numbers are right in front. During the 192 innings pitched in 2024, Skubal had 228 strikeouts with an ERA of just 2.39. His win-loss record also showed his elite ability—Skubal’s record shows 18-4, and when you compare this to Paul Skenes, these numbers are just a little better.

Skenes is a great pitcher, and his 2024 season proves it. He pitched a total of 133 innings and had 170 strikeouts with an ERA of just 1.96; his win-loss record was also great with a record of 11-3, but this was just his first season. If Paul Skenes keeps the same form, he will become one of the greatest pitchers in the league. On the other hand, Skubal has been at the top level and has been dominating it—the Triple Crown and Cy Young show how good he is.

While Tarik Skubal is built on elite control, deception, and a deep arsenal, Paul Skenes is built on velocity and power, which makes him more injury-prone and can start a domino effect that nobody wants to see. This can be the reason why insiders think that Skenes falls a little short when compared to Skubal on baseball numbers. But the game is more than numbers, and this season will have all the answers.

So, who’s really the king of the mound? The numbers, the accolades, and the durability all point to one answer—Tarik Skubal. While Paul Skenes may be the league’s newest attraction, Skubal is built for dominance. That stands the test of time.

Paul Skenes speaks on contract talks and why Pirates don’t need big spending

Money makes the baseball world go ‘round—except, apparently, in Pittsburgh. While big-market teams throw cash at superstars like it’s a cheat code, the Pirates continue their time-honored tradition of doing… well, less. Enter Paul Skenes, a rising ace who isn’t exactly pounding the table for a blockbuster deal—or for the Pirates to open their wallets.

With the Pirates seeing a generational talent in their team, they will want to lock him up for a long time, right? But will they be a different question that only the Pirates management can answer? When asked about this, Skenes said, “I haven’t heard a whole lot. I don’t know, I haven’t given that too much thought.” Fans believe that the Pirates should spend big bucks and get some good players, but Paul Skenes doesn’t think so.

When asked about this, Skenes said, “If you go out and sign the Ohtanis, maybe it becomes a little bit easier, he’s Ohtani for a reason, but there’s no reason we can’t play fundamental baseball and execute at a very high level without having players like that”—which shows he believes in execution over spending big. But the question that stands there unfazed is whether the Pirates can still compete for the top spot without investing in top talent.

Paul Skenes may trust in execution over expensive rosters, but history isn’t exactly kind to penny-pinching contenders. The Pirates can preach fundamentals all they want, but at some point, talent wins games—and talent costs money. So, will Pittsburgh prove Skenes right, or will they keep proving why they haven’t sniffed the playoffs in over a decade? What do you think? Let us know below.