Whiff, whiff, whiff and you’re out!

May 29, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the sixth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports / Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

For years now, we’ve been talking about how Shohei Ohtani is not fair. He’s a talent generations in the making. He’s one of the best of the best. He’s unmatched.

Well, Paul Skenes looks like a talent generations in the making, already one of the best of the best. Unmatched.

The Pirates rookie faced his biggest test to date taking on the loaded Dodgers lineup. He didn’t just handle the top of the order, he absolutely crushed them.

Paul Skenes struck out Shohei Ohtani with three pitches and it was incredible

Mookie Betts went down swinging in four pitches, with three pitches topping 100 mph. The leadoff man doesn’t whiff often, but Skenes got him twice. Ohtani followed with a three-pitch at-bat and it was a sight to behold.

Pitch 1: 101 mph four-seam fastball — Strike swinging
Pitch 2: 100 mph four-seam fastball — Strike swinging
Pitch 3: 100 mph four-seam fastball — Strike swinging

Let’s all take a moment to pick our jaws up off the floor because that was just about the coldest sequence in baseball all year between a rookie and one of the most capable hitters in the game.

We all knew Skenes was good, great even, but his aura reaches a whole other level when he’s doing it against the likes Betts, Ohtani and Freddie Freeman. The last of those saw three 100-mph fastballs and two 95-mph splitters during his plate appearance which ended the inning on a fly to right field. At least he can look at his teammates and say he made contact.

Skenes came into Wednesday’s outing against the Dodgers with a 2.45 ERA, a WHIP of .909 and a 2-0 record in four starts. He’s averaging 7.5 strikeouts per game. After two innings against LA, he had four Ks already in the bag.