Paul Skenes is chasing history—becoming the first NL pitcher since Jacob deGrom to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards. Despite two rough outings that bumped his ERA to 3.00, he remains a top contender with the fourth-lowest batting average against and a top-three strikeout-to-walk ratio. But Cristopher Sanchez now leads the race, with Sale, Elder, and Misiorowski also in the mix. If Skenes can carry the Pirates to the playoffs, his momentum could surge—and so could his chances at a second Cy Young.

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Esmerlyn Valdez is exploding onto the MLB scene with the Pittsburgh Pirates, launching his first two big league hits — both home runs — in just his third game, capped by a two-run blast in a 12-1 rout of the Cubs. With family in the stands for the first time since last July, Valdez delivered a career-defining moment, adding a bases-loaded walk and an outfield assist to his stat line. Manager Don Kelly raves about his clutch at-bats, and Valdez is already smitten with PNC Park and the city’s fan support — this rookie might just be the Pirates’ next big thing.

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The Cubs hit rock bottom again, losing 12-1 to the Pirates in their 10th straight defeat — a brutal start by Jordan Wicks and a team in freefall. With their 19th double-digit losing streak since 1901, they’re now tied for last in the NL Central, four and a half games behind the Brewers. Manager Counsell got tossed in the 9th over a pitch challenge, and the only RBI came from Ian Happ. They’ll try to turn things around tonight against Jameson Taillon in Pittsburgh — game time 5:40 PM CT on Marquee Sports Network.

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