Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes and New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil have won the National League Rookie of the Year and American League Rookie of the Year awards, respectively.
Skenes dominated his first season in the major leagues, finishing with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts and striking out 170 batters. He was selected to start the All-Star Game just two months after making his debut and received 23 first-place votes for the Rookie of the Year award.
Gil had an impressive rookie season as well, going 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts. The right-hander earned 15 first-place votes for the AL Rookie of the Year award and was praised by Yankees manager Aaron Boone for his hard work and determination after coming back from Tommy John surgery.
The awards mark the first time two pitchers have won the Rookie of the Year honors since 2011, when Jeremy Hellickson and Craig Kimbrel took home the award. Skenes is also a finalist for the National League Cy Young Award and will be credited with a full year of major league service under the collective bargaining agreement.
Both players are expected to play key roles in their teams’ futures, with Skenes becoming the second Pirates player to win the Rookie of the Year award after Jason Bay in 2004. Gil’s victory marks a significant milestone for the young right-hander, who will be eligible for free agency after the 2029 season.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/skenes-rookie-ed686a821f62d0e5e32bfacd91d48f0b