PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes heads into the 2025 season as one of the top pitchers in baseball.
Skenes starred at LSU in 2023, after transferring from Air Force. He had a 13-2 record in 19 starts, 1.69 ERA in 122.2 innings pitched, gave up just 23 earned runs and seven earned runs, while making 209 strikeouts to just 20 walks, leading the program to a national title that season.
He would enter the 2023 MLB Draft, where the Pirates took him with the No. 1 overall pick. He also signed with the franchise on a $9.2 million signing bonus, the highest ever given to a player at the time.
Skenes dominated in the minor leagues and soon made it up to the majors on May 11 of the 2024 season.
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He started 23 games, had a 1.96 ERA in 133.0 innings pitched, allowed just 29 earned runs, 94 hits, six home runs and 32 walks, while making 170 strikeouts and holding opposing hitting to a .198 batting average. He also had a 11.50 K/9 and a WHIP of 0.95.
He was also the first member of the Pirates to start for the National League in the All-Star Game since Jerry Reuss did it in 1975, 49 years ago. He is also just the fifth rookie to start an All-Star game, with Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers doing so in 1995, en route to winning NL Rookie of the Year.
Skenes won NL Rookie of the Year, made the All-MLB First Team and finished third in the NL CY Young Award voting.
MLB.com ranked the top 15 pitchers who could win a Cy Young Award, in 2025 honoring the best pitcher in both the American League and in the National League, and they picked Skenes as their favorite for the NL.
“The 2024 NL Rookie of the Year may have captured the Cy Young Award as well if he had begun last year in the big leagues,” Brian Murphy wrote. “Despite not debuting until May 11, Skenes still finished as the seventh-most valuable pitcher by run value. His 1.96 ERA was the best by any rookie with at least 20 starts in the Live Ball Era (since 1920), while his 33.1% strikeout rate and 26.8% K-BB rate trailed only Garrett Crochet among pitchers with 130 innings.
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“At just 22 years old, Skenes harnesses six pitches, none of which allowed an expected wOBA better than .283 last year (league average was .315). He’s now adding to that arsenal with a cutter that has already gone viral this spring. Looking even more dangerous, Skenes could join Dwight Gooden (1985) as the only Rookie of the Year pitchers to claim a Cy Young the following season (though, of course, Fernando Valenzuela is the only pitcher to win both in the same season, in 1981). Maybe Skenes will be a factor in the MVP race, too.”
The Pirates begin their season against the Miami Marlins on the road on March 27, where Skenes will likely serve as the opening day starter.
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P3R, the organization behind the Pittsburgh Marathon, has opened registration for one of this fall’s largest local races.
Runners can now sign up for the 10 Miler and 10K, scheduled for Nov. 8. P3R expects a record-breaking 6,000 participants at this year’s events, according to spokeswoman Kelsey Emch. The events drew more than 5,500 participants last year.
The 10 Miler course begins at Station Square and travels through the North Shore, the Strip District and Downtown, while the 10K begins on the North Shore near PNC Park and follows the 10 Miler route the rest of the way.
Both races finish on Liberty Avenue Downtown – a common ending point for P3R events.
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P3R CEO Troy Schooley said in a release that the 10 Miler and 10K have become a “signature fall tradition” for Pittsburghers of all abilities.
“Whether participants are chasing a personal best, enjoying the event with friends or taking part in the walking division, this race delivers an unforgettable experience while showcasing our city at its very best,” he said.
The 10 Miler costs around $66 per person with processing fees, and the 10K costs around $49. Discounts are available through June 9.
Those interested in participating can register on P3R’s website. Registrants receive complimentary racing bibs, branded long-sleeve shirts, and medals.
Mike Darnay is a digital producer and photojournalist at CBS Pittsburgh. Mike has also written and produced content for Vox Media and the Mon Valley Independent.
He often covers overnight breaking news, the Pittsburgh Steelers and high school sports.
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Pittsburgh Regional Transit has started to install its ReadyFare vending machines as the agency prepares to roll out its new fare payment system.
PRT said it’s working to roll out its new ReadyFare system and has started to install the new machine at some of its light-rail stations.
The new machines recently were installed at PRT’s Gateway station in Downtown Pittsburgh.
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Pittsburgh Regional Transit has begun installing new ReadyFare machines at stations throughout the agency’s system.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit
PRT said that as it prepares to roll out the new system, current ConnectCard holders will receive a card in the mail with instructions on how to request a ReadyFare card.
The new ReadyFare cards will be able to be purchased at the new machines for $1.
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PRT said that riders will be able to transfer any balances they have on a ConnectCard to the new ReadyFare cards using an online balance transfer form.
Acrisure Stadium is buzzing with excitement ahead of the back-to-back Morgan Wallen concerts. Except it’s not the fans generating all the excitement — it’s about 5 pounds of honeybees.
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The Fine Family Apiary in Monongahela said it was contacted on Wednesday about a swarm of bees clustered on the stage scaffolding. The apiary put the swarm in a “nuc box” and took them home before moving the bees into full-size equipment.
Owner Al Fine estimates the swarm weighed about 4 to 5 pounds and consisted of 12,000 to 15,000 bees. All said, it took less than two hours to get the job done.
The Fine Family Apiary in Monongahela removed about 12,000 to 15,000 bees from Acrisure Stadium.
(Photo: The Fine Family Apiary/Facebook)
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Why do bees swarm?
Swarming is how honeybees propagate, Fine explained. According to Penn State Extension, during swarming, the queen and about half the workers leave their home to establish a new nest. The bees will form a temporary cluster, hanging out while scouts search the surrounding area for a more permanent home in hollow spaces like tree cavities or, occasionally, the walls of a home.
Swarms can stick around for several hours or days until they’re ready to move, Penn State Extension says. Meanwhile, the colony left behind is temporarily without a leader until a new queen is established.
With the swarm at Acrisure Stadium removed, Morgan Wallen’s show is ready to go on. The country music megastar will bring his I’m The Problem Tour to Pittsburgh on June 5 and June 6, along with multiple acts like Brooks & Dunn and Ella Langley.
