Pittsburgh Pirates ace pitcher Paul Skenes capped a remarkable season by winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award on Monday, while the New York Yankees’ Luis Gil passed Baltimore’s Colton Cowser to win the AL award. This is the first time the rookie award has been given to two pitchers since 2011, when Tampa Bay starter Jeremy Hellickson and Atlanta’s tight end Craig Kimbrel won. Skenes didn’t make his major league debut until May 11 but the right-hander made such an immediate splash that he was selected to start the All-Star Game for the NL on July 16. He hit defeating outfielders Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres and Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Skenes, 22, was the first overall pick in the 2023 amateur draft, posting an 11-3 record with a 1.96 ERA in 23 appearances. He threw 170 hits and walked 32 times in 133 innings. He received 23 first-place votes for 136 points while Merrill had seven first-place votes and 104 points. They are listed on all ballots. Chourio has 26 points. Skenes was also a finalist for the NL Cy Young award. Gil, who moved to the Yankees’ rotation after key player Gerrit Cole was injured early in the season, received 15 first-place votes for 106 points. Cowser received 13 first-place votes for 101 points and Gil’s Yankees teammate Austin Wells received 17 points. The only close election since 1980 was when Royals shortstop Angel Berroa beat Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui 88-84 in 2003.