Paul Skenes is washed up. Over the hill. Finished.

At least, that is what some corners of social media are reporting. If there is one thing this dinosaur has learned in this modern age of “citizen journalism,” it is that social media is the ultimate medium for overreactions.

Yet some otherwise rational people are also voicing concerns about Skenes.

Everyone needs to calm down about Skenes’ inability to replicate his amazing rookie season of 2024. Last year’s performance was historic, especially his 1.96 ERA in 133 innings.

Since divisional play began in 1969, just 24 times has a starting pitcher worked that many innings in a season and had a lower ERA. The list includes Hall of Famers Greg Maddux, Nolan Ryan, Pedro Martinez, Gaylord Perry, and should-be Hall of Famer Roger Clemens.

The list of pitchers with multiple seasons with an ERA under 1.96 while pitching at least 133 innings is short: Maddux, Martinez, Clemens, and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw.

No rookie has had a lower ERA in that many innings since the Montreal Expos’ Steve Rogers posted a 1.54 mark in 134 innings in 1973. Before that, the last time a rookie pulled off that feat was in 1920.

So, what Skenes did last season was extraordinary, which is why he won the National League Rookie of the Year. Expecting him to duplicate that performance is unrealistic.

Skenes has a 3-4 record with a 2.63 ERA in nine starts this season.

Skenes already has more losses than last season. It is hard to blame Skenes for his records. He has six quality starts in his nine outings, yet the Pirates are 3-6 when he pitches.

The reality is that Skenes is a victim of playing for a last-place team with a woeful offense. He’s pitched well enough to be better than 3-4.

The ERA is higher than last season, but the 2.63 mark translates to 162 ERA+, which means he is pitching 62 percent better than the MLB average.

There is some concern that Skenes’s strikeouts per nine innings have dropped from 11.5 last season to 8.7 this season. Yet at least part of that stems from hitters getting a second look at Skenes and are becoming more familiar with facing him.

Skenes isn’t hitting 100 mph with his fastball as much as he did in 2024. Yet his 97.9-mph average fastball velocity is in the 95th percentile of MLB pitchers.

It’s still relatively early in the season, and pitchers haven’t built maximum arm strength. Last year, Skenes did not make his major-league debut until May 11 following seven starts for Triple-A Indianapolis.

Skenes remains among the best pitchers in the major leagues, and every other MLB team would love to have him. He is 22 years old and not a finished product.

Once upon a time, before Aaron Rodgers reportedly joined every country club within 100 miles of Acrisure Stadium, the star quarterback had a one-word message to Packers’ fans in 2014 when Green Bay got off to a 1-2 start.

Relax.

That’s good advice when it comes to the angst over Paul Skenes.