Paul Skenes, the Chicago White Sox's top pitching prospect, turned in another impressive performance in his second career start, striking out seven consecutive batters and completing a no-hitter through 5 1/3 innings against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.
Paul Skenes, the Chicago White Sox's prized pitching prospect, continued to showcase his immense talent in his second career start on Wednesday night, dominating the Kansas City Royals to the tune of seven consecutive strikeouts and a no-hitter through 5 1/3 innings.
Skenes, who made his much-anticipated Major League debut last Saturday against the Cleveland Indians, picked up right where he left off against the Royals, showcasing his electric fastball and devastating changeup.
The 22-year-old right-hander opened the game by striking out the side in the first inning, including a 98-mph fastball that caught Royals leadoff hitter Bobby Witt Jr. looking. He followed that up with three more strikeouts in the second inning, fanning Michael A. Taylor, Hunter Dozier, and Salvador Perez, all on swinging strikes.
In the third inning, Skenes struck out Whit Merrifield, Andrew Benintendi, and Nicky Lopez, completing his seven-strikeout streak and extending his no-hit bid to 5 1/3 innings.
The White Sox bullpen eventually came to Skenes' aid in the sixth inning after he walked Taylor to lead off the inning. Matt Foster surrendered a single to Dozier, but the White Sox defense turned a double play to end the inning and preserve Skenes' no-hitter.
Skenes' dominant outing marked the first time a White Sox pitcher had struck out seven consecutive batters since Chris Sale in 2014. It also marked the first no-hit bid of at least 5 1/3 innings by a White Sox pitcher since Mike Clevinger in 2020.
Skenes' performance was particularly impressive given that he was facing a lineup that included several All-Stars and former MVPs. Witt Jr. is the reigning American League Rookie of the Year, while Perez is a two-time Silver Slugger and World Series champion.
The White Sox are hopeful that Skenes can continue his impressive start and become a cornerstone of their rotation. The young hurler has shown tremendous potential in his first two starts, and his combination of power and control is a tantalizing prospect for the South Side faithful.
With Skenes leading the way, the White Sox are hoping to make a run at the playoffs in 2023. The team has a talented roster that includes All-Stars Tim Anderson, Jose Abreu, and Liam Hendriks, and the addition of Skenes to the rotation gives them another potential ace.
