Paul Skenes is a Finalist for the National League Cy Young despite a delayed start

Despite Paul Skenes looking the part of a Major Leaguer, the Pirates decided to let him start the season off in the Minor Leagues. Despite the delayed start, Paul Skenes quickly burst onto the scene as one of the best pitchers in baseball never hitting that Rookie wall you often hear about. This week has been an incredible week for Skenes as he goes from Guest Picker on College Gameday to a Finalist for the National League Cy Young Award and the National League Rookie of the Year.

Skenes is a finalist for the Cy Young along with Braves Starter Chris Sale and Phillies Starter Zach Wheeler. In the Rookie of the Year Award race, Skenes is up against Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio and Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill.

By being a finalist for the Cy Young Award as a Rookie, Paul Skenes becomes the first pitcher since Jose Fernandez to accomplish the feat.

The only argument you can make against Paul Skenes in the Cy Young Award race is the fact that he pitched less games and less innings than Wheeler and Sale. Skenes 1.96 ERA is the lowest of the three finalists, his absurd 214 ERA+ blows them out of water.

Skenes should win the Award but, he won't

Its not debatable that from the time Paul Skenes arrived in the Majors he was far and away the most dominant pitcher in Major League Baseball. The voters on the MLB's awards however are traditionalists and they hardly ever give the Rookie the nod they deserve. Given that Skenes is up against two veterans in Sale and Wheeler who have had dominant seasons year over year we'll likely see one of them win the Award as the writers will believe that Skenes has plenty of time to win another.

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