Bryan Reynolds, Paul Skenes Win 2024 Top Pirates Awards

The Pittsburgh chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of American unveiled their 2024 Pirates awards with outfielder Bryan Reynolds winning the Roberto Clemente Award (team MVP) and rookie sensation Paul Skenes winning the Steve Blass Award (team Cy Young).

Reynolds has paced the Pirates’ offense this season and was named a National League All-Star for the second time in his career. The 29-year-old enters play against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday with a .276/.343/.44 batting line over a team-high 150 games played. He’s hit 29 doubles, three triples, 22 home runs and has driven in 85 runs to go along with 10 stolen bases.

For Reynolds, it’s the third time in the last four years that he’s won the award. He was the recipient in both 2021-22 before Ke’Bryan Hayes was announced as the winner last season.

Reynolds is now one of four players to win the award at least three times, joining Dave Parker (three), Andy Van Slyke (three) and teammate Andrew McCutchen (six times).

“Anytime you get in the same sentence as those kind of players, it’s pretty special and pretty cool just being mentioned with them,” Reynolds explained. “Yeah, it’s pretty special.”

Skenes has emerged as one of the game’s top starting pitchers since he was called up for his MLB debut on May 11. Through the first 22 starts of his career, Skenes has posted an 11-3 record with an immaculate 1.99 ERA. He’s set the single-season franchise mark for strikeouts by a rookie pitcher with 167.

The 22-year-old is one of two pitchers since 1913 to post a sub-2.00 ERA through their first 22 starts, joining Steve Rogers from 1973-74. His 167 strikeouts through his first 22 starts are the fifth-most in the modern era.

Skenes joined Reynolds at the 2024 All-Star Game and started on the mound for the National League, becoming the fifth pitcher in league history to start in the Midsummer Classic as a rookie.

The potential National League Rookie of the Year finished in second place in team MVP voting behind Reynolds and one spot ahead of Oneil Cruz.

In addition to Skenes and Reynolds receiving some hardware, McCutchen was named the winner of the Chuck Tanner Award, given to the player most cooperative with the media. McCutchen also won the award last year, his first year back with the Pirates.

“Every year is special, just because you have the opportunity to play it,” said McCutchen. “Trying to take no days for granted. I do my best to do that to try and play every game like it’s your last game because at one point it will be.”