Paul Skenes might be keeping himself on top of the game this season, but it seems like he’s yet to satisfy many. Despite securing a commendable 216 strikeouts this season, the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher couldn’t make it to the top charts for Trevor Plouffe. Comparing the 23-year-old with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal, the former Minnesota Kings player’s verdict turned out to be a snub for both the National League players.

During a recent appearance on Jomboy’s Baseball Today show, Plouffe drew a staggering comparison among Skenes, Yamamoto, and Skubal. “He’s great, he’s awesome (Tarik Skubal), doesn’t walk guys, strikes guys out. Yes. I’m gonna add Yamamoto into that. How could you not talk about this guy? We just saw it in the biggest moment. Like, we don’t talk enough about Yamamoto,” he remarked.

“I think that’s going to change going into next year, but I think right now we’re seeing multiple guys we could put in that category. Now, okay, I gave you those three guys: Skubal, Skenes, Yamamoto. I think I go… I think I’ll go with Skubal. I think there’s just something about neutralizing the lefties as best you can. That’s where I would go.”

But the numbers may tell a completely dissimilar story.

Paul Skenes had a remarkable season in 2025, posting a 1.97 ERA and recording a WHIP of 0.95 over 187.2 innings. Leading the league in ERA, he posted one of the best WHIPs among starters. However, his win-loss record turned out to be an even 10-10.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal had slightly different profiles throughout.

Yamamoto delivered a 2.49 ERA, 201 strikeouts, and a WHIP of around 0.99 in 2025, while Skubal had a 2.21 ERA and struck out 241 batters, with a WHIP of ≈ 0.891. Because of the stat-heavy performance, Skubal won the American League’s Cy Young Award for the second straight year. This also made him only the fifth AL pitcher ever to win back-to-back Cy Youngs, and a second Tiger after McLain (1968-69).

Meanwhile, Yamamoto’s 2025 World Series turned out to be historic as he posted a 1.02 ERA, collected 15 strikeouts, allowed just two runs and two walks, and became the first pitcher in MLB history to win three games on the road in a single WS. He was named the World Series MVP for that effort, but eventually finished third in the NL Cy Young Award voting, receiving zero first-place or second-place votes.

But even with both Skubal and Yamamoto’s achievements, Skenes stood out because of a major achievement this season.

Paul Skenes joins Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, and others with a massive achievement

Paul Skenes recently etched history as he was named the unanimous winner of the National League’s Cy Young Award. Leading the league in ERA, his win-loss record didn’t stand in the way, either. The fact that he received all 30 first-place votes in the Cy Young balloting marked him as part of an elite club of legendary pitchers, including Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, and more.

The achievement was also historical, as he is only the second pitcher in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year in one season and then the Cy Young Award the next (matching Dwight Gooden’s feat from 1984-85).

When you factor in that he and Tarik Skubal both started the All-Star Game and won Cy Young awards in the same year, they replicated the only other time this has happened (Johnson and Clemens in 2001).

And all that said, we cannot help but wonder that 2025 has been historic in more than one way. Any favorite moment you would like to pick?