The Mets made facing Paul Skenes a fair fight — nine against one.
No pitcher in the Live Ball Era (since 1920) had a lower ERA in their first 55 starts than the 1.96 of the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year and the 2025 NY Cy Young winner.
Which made what the Mets did in the Pirate righty’s 56th start such an incredible opening statement for 2026. Fittingly, in what would become an 11-7 Mets triumph Thursday, Skenes faced all nine hitters in the first inning — and was knocked out by the full blunt force of the group.
The two-thirds of an inning was by far the shortest start in Skenes’ so far near-impeccable career. The five runs tied for the most he had allowed — and that was in six innings.