"Not apples and apples" - HOF pitcher sees Paul Skenes ROY hope threatened by positional player Jackson Merrill, suggests separate award for pitchers

MLB analyst Ben Verlander and former MLB pitcher John Smoltz recently talked about the fascinating race between Paul Skenes and Jackson Merrill for the National League Rookie of the Year award. Up until July, the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie was the clear favorite for the award, but after a few rough outings, and Merrill's good performances, the decision is much closer than expected.

Smoltz had a major league career that spanned 21 years, spending all but one of those with the Atlanta Braves. John's number 29 jersey was retired when he left, and he was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame. In a hugely decorated career, Smoltz won the NL Cy Young award, the World Series, and was voted to the All-Star game eight times.

On the latest episode of "Flippin' bats with Ben Verlander," John talked about who he thinks has the edge at the moment:

"I always think the edge goes to the position player when it's this close. If Paul Skenes were to get his team to the playoffs, it would be that much more special for the pitcher, even though he plays once every five days. It's so tight, but I think Merrill would get the nod right now."

Smoltz also added how the Pirates' fading playoff dream could further hurt Paul Skenes' chances.

Also read: MLB Insider says Pirates' fading playoff picture could endanger Paul Skenes' NL Rookie of the Year bid

"I'm not sure if the Pirates don't shut down Skenes anyway if they don't make it to the playoffs. That's a narrative that would come into play unfortunately."

Finally, Smoltz talked about how a seperate awards would be the fairest way, in his opinion, to conduct proceedings.

"I'd like to see a seperate award for pitchers and position players. They're not apples and apples, they're apples and oranges. A pitcher has to do something extremely special to get their name into the discussion over a player that plays everyday."

Paul Skenes propels Pirates back to winning ways

With both Skenes and the Pirates coming into a home series opener against the Seattle Mariners on the back of losses in the two previous games, winning was the priority. That's exactly what both were able to accomplish on Friday, as the Pirates won, 5-3 at PNC Park.

Despite walking more batters than he has in any game of his young career so far, Paul Skenes had another succesful outing on the mound, striking out six. After Friday, Skenes' stats for the 2024 season stand at a 2.30 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, with 121 strikeouts, and a 7-2 record.

Next up, the Pirates take on the Mariners in the final game of the series. Having already won the two preceding games, the Pirates have the chance to record the sweep on Seattle with a win on Sunday. With Pittsburgh needing to make up ground to potentially grab a playoff spot, fans will be hoping the Buccos can continue to carry this newfound momentum onward.