Rookie Paul Skenes finishes 11-3 with 1.96 ERA, retires 6 straight batters in Yankee Stadium debut

NEW YORK (AP) — Paul Skenes knew his time on the mound at Yankee Stadium was going to be brief, so he savored all 23 pitches, especially encounters with New York stars Juan Soto and Aaron Judge that resulted in strikeouts.

“It's cool,” Skenes said after ending an impressive rookie season by retiring six hitters in order in Pittsburgh’s 9-4 win over the Yankees on Saturday. “It’s not the first time I faced them. It’s definitely not going to be the last. So looking forward to the next time.”

A top contender for NL Rookie of the Year, the 22-year-old right-hander started the All-Star Game, where he walked Soto and got Judge hit ground into a forceout. Skenes finished 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts and 133 innings — 29 innings shy of qualifying for the National League ERA title. He struck out 170 and walked 32.

“We didn’t know if it was going to be perfect,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “I don’t think anybody did and I realize people are going to be critical because they wanted to see him. “We wanted to make sure we ramped him up. Even today, we wanted to make sure that he finished the season strong, that he finished the season on the mound.”