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Pirates' Paul Skenes, Tigers' Tarik Skubal named Cy Young winners

Pirates' Paul Skenes, Tigers' Tarik Skubal named Cy Young winners originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal and Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes were named the winners of MLB‘s Cy Young awards on Wednesday as the top pitchers in the sport for the 2025 season.

Skubal won his second straight American League Cy Young Award, joining elite company after another spectacular season in which the left-hander helped propel Detroit to a playoff berth.

The 28-year-old Skubal became the 12th player to win baseball’s top pitching honor in consecutive years, joining a group that includes Hall of Famers Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez.

Jacob deGrom was the previous pitcher to win consecutive Cy Youngs, pulling off the feat with the New York Mets in 2018 and 2019. Martinez was the last American League pitcher to do it, in 1999 and 2000.

Skubal posted a 13-6 record with an American League-leading 2.21 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 195 1/3 innings for the Tigers during the regular season, then went 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three playoff starts for Detroit, which was eliminated by Seattle in the Division Series.

Skubal received 26 of 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The other four went to runner-up Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox. Crochet led the American League in innings (205 1/3) and strikeouts (255). Hunter Brown of the Houston Astros came in third.

Skenes was a unanimous choice for the National League Cy Young Award, becoming the first pitcher in 40 years to win Rookie of the Year one season and baseball’s top pitching prize the next.

The 23-year-old Skenes — selected first overall by the Pirates in the 2023 amateur draft after a standout career at Air Force and LSU — was a marvel for the last-place Pirates, leading the majors in ERA (1.97) while striking out 216 batters in 187 1/3 innings during his first full season in the big leagues.

Yet even with his brilliance, Skenes needed a little late help from Pittsburgh’s woeful offense to avoid becoming the first Cy Young-winning starting pitcher to finish with a losing record. Skenes won three of his final four decisions to finish 10-10.

Dwight Gooden is the only other pitcher to win Rookie of the Year and a Cy Young Award in consecutive seasons, doing it in the NL for the New York Mets in 1984 and 1985. Los Angeles Dodgers great Fernando Valenzuela swept both NL awards in 1981.

Philadelphia left-hander Cristopher Sánchez received every second-place vote, and World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers finished third.

Skubal’s historic run comes with him set to enter free agency after the 2026 season. Considering the massive contract Skubal could command on the open market, it’s uncertain whether he’ll stay with the Tigers beyond next season.

A year after taking a massive step forward by winning the pitching Triple Crown in the American League on his way to being a unanimous Cy Young Award winner, Skubal backed it up by serving as the anchor for the Tigers during a volatile season in which Detroit squandered a 15 1/2-game lead in the AL Central and was caught by Cleveland down the stretch.

The Tigers got a bit of revenge in the wild-card round, beating the division-champion Guardians in three games thanks in large part to a 14-strikeout gem by Skubal in the series opener.

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Pirates' Paul Skenes, Tigers' Tarik Skubal named Cy Young winners

Pirates' Paul Skenes, Tigers' Tarik Skubal named Cy Young winners originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal and Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes were named the winners of MLB‘s Cy Young awards on Wednesday as the top pitchers in the sport for the 2025 season.

Skubal won his second straight American League Cy Young Award, joining elite company after another spectacular season in which the left-hander helped propel Detroit to a playoff berth.

The 28-year-old Skubal became the 12th player to win baseball’s top pitching honor in consecutive years, joining a group that includes Hall of Famers Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez.

Jacob deGrom was the previous pitcher to win consecutive Cy Youngs, pulling off the feat with the New York Mets in 2018 and 2019. Martinez was the last American League pitcher to do it, in 1999 and 2000.

Skubal posted a 13-6 record with an American League-leading 2.21 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 195 1/3 innings for the Tigers during the regular season, then went 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three playoff starts for Detroit, which was eliminated by Seattle in the Division Series.

Skubal received 26 of 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The other four went to runner-up Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox. Crochet led the American League in innings (205 1/3) and strikeouts (255). Hunter Brown of the Houston Astros came in third.

Skenes was a unanimous choice for the National League Cy Young Award, becoming the first pitcher in 40 years to win Rookie of the Year one season and baseball’s top pitching prize the next.

The 23-year-old Skenes — selected first overall by the Pirates in the 2023 amateur draft after a standout career at Air Force and LSU — was a marvel for the last-place Pirates, leading the majors in ERA (1.97) while striking out 216 batters in 187 1/3 innings during his first full season in the big leagues.

Yet even with his brilliance, Skenes needed a little late help from Pittsburgh’s woeful offense to avoid becoming the first Cy Young-winning starting pitcher to finish with a losing record. Skenes won three of his final four decisions to finish 10-10.

Dwight Gooden is the only other pitcher to win Rookie of the Year and a Cy Young Award in consecutive seasons, doing it in the NL for the New York Mets in 1984 and 1985. Los Angeles Dodgers great Fernando Valenzuela swept both NL awards in 1981.

Philadelphia left-hander Cristopher Sánchez received every second-place vote, and World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers finished third.

Skubal’s historic run comes with him set to enter free agency after the 2026 season. Considering the massive contract Skubal could command on the open market, it’s uncertain whether he’ll stay with the Tigers beyond next season.

A year after taking a massive step forward by winning the pitching Triple Crown in the American League on his way to being a unanimous Cy Young Award winner, Skubal backed it up by serving as the anchor for the Tigers during a volatile season in which Detroit squandered a 15 1/2-game lead in the AL Central and was caught by Cleveland down the stretch.

The Tigers got a bit of revenge in the wild-card round, beating the division-champion Guardians in three games thanks in large part to a 14-strikeout gem by Skubal in the series opener.

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Clippers' Bradley Beal to undergo hip surgery, will miss remainder of season

When Tyronn Lue announced pregame Monday that Bradley Beal was out vs. Atlanta, the Clippers coach was asked, "Is there a concern that Brad's injury might be beyond just this game?"

"Yes."

That answer raised red flags. Now comes news that Beal has a fractured hip that will require surgery and he will miss the remainder of this season. The timeline for his recovery is six to nine months, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by other sources.

The injury occurred against Phoenix on Saturday when he attempted to take a charge, fell awkwardly on his hip and left the game not to return.

This comes as a real blow to the Clippers, who have stumbled to a 3-7 start to the season and are currently without Kawhi Leonard due to a sprained ankle. The Clippers were banking on Beal to step in and fill the scoring, playmaking role that Norman Powell did at a near All-Star level for them last season, but he has looked slow (a problem across the board for Los Angeles) and is averaging 8.7 points a game in the six games he got into, shooting just 37.5% from the floor.

"[Beal] is a starter for us. He's gonna play..." Lue had said just a week before. "We can't just move him to the side, he's a big part of what we're trying to do. We got to bring him along slow, we got to be smart about it, and we just can't rush the process."

Now Lue needs to come up with another plan. Expect a lot more Kris Dunn (which is good for the Clippers' defense) and Cam Christie with Beal now out.

Beal was signed for the taxpayer mid-level exception of $5.4 million this season, and he has a player option for $5.6 million next season.

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Agent Scott Boras: Mets free agent Pete Alonso 'an ideal franchise player'

As the GM Meetings roll on in Las Vegas, Wednesday brought about the annual media availability from baseball super agent Scott Boras, who represents a number of this year’s top free agent players, including Pete Alonso. 

When asked about which teams could potentially be suitors for the power-hitting first baseman, Boras responded as only he can.

“There’s no doubt Pete’s pursuers are primed to pay the power piper,” Boras quipped. “Pete picked a perfect period to play preeminently at a primary position. A playoff parched plethora will pounce to participate in the Polar Plunge."

This offseason is, of course, Alonso’s second dip into the free agency waters. After a drawn-out process last offseason, Alonso, coming off a down season, returned to the Mets on a two-year deal that included an opt out. 

After rebounding to have a much stronger season in 2025, when he passed Darryl Strawberry as the Mets’ all-time home run leader, Alonso opted out and now seems poised to land a longer and more lucrative contract this time around. 

And if you ask Boras, it’s Alonso’s ability to develop into a star in New York City, as well as his ability to play every day, that makes him such a wanted commodity this offseason.

“Pete has been a lifetime Met, and, obviously, when he reflects on his career, it’s all he has to look to. The one thing I think Pete understands is that playing in New York is not something most can do,” Boras said. “To become a star-level player in New York, even fewer can do it. So, I think the New York fans recognize it, and they’ve been very outward and appreciative of him. He and Hailey’s involvement in the community has been received so well. He’s, in so many ways, from production, middle of the lineup, he’s an ideal franchise player. Plays every day, and it’s clear that the New York fans relate to someone who is workman-like, who is what Pete is. 

“He really knows how to manage the pressure of that situation. So, I think it’s something that he’s very proud of because of the fact that so few have achieved that standing.”

Asked about Alonso on Tuesday night, Mets president of baseball operationsDavid Stearns reiterated that the Mets would love to have both Alonso and Edwin Diaz back, but acknowledged that it’s still too early in the offseason to have much clarity about any kind of timeline for reaching a deal with the slugger. 

"We love both Pete and Edwin. They've been great representatives of the organization," Stearns said. "We'd love to have them both back. At this stage of the offseason, it’s really tough to predict any outcomes, but certainly, we would love to have both those guys back."

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What we learned as Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler save Warriors in big win over Spurs

What we learned as Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler save Warriors in big win over Spurs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

The Warriors on Wednesday night got their first look this season at the majestic force that is 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama and didn’t blink.

With Stephen Curry firing up his offense, scoring a game- and season-high 46 points, the Warriors quieted some of the noise around them with a 125-120 victory over Wembanyama and the Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.

Coming on the second night of a back-to-back road set, this is Golden State’s most impressive win of the season.

Jimmy Butler III contributed 28 points and eight assists, while Moses Moody tossed in 19 to give Curry plenty of offensive aid.

Wembanyama scored 27 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds but committed a game-high eight turnovers.

Here are three observations from a game that allowed the Warriors and Dub Nation at least a day to exhale:

Chef was cooking

Still recovering from a cold that forced him to miss three games, Curry found his rhythm after halftime and led the Warriors to their most productive quarter of the season.

Curry in the third quarter scored 22 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field, including 3-of-5 from distance, along with 9-of-9 from the line. It was the 43rd time in his career that he scored at least 20 points in a quarter. 

Curry’s outburst provided most of the ammunition for Golden State, scoring 43 points in the quarter – it’s highest total for any quarter this season.

Curry’s 46 points came on 13-of-25 shooting from the field, including 5-of-16 from beyond the arc and 15-of-16 from the line. He was plus-3 over 34 minutes. He tied Michael Jordan for most 40-point games after turning 35 with 12. Only LeBron James (15) has more.

Lineup No. 6

Coach Steve Kerr indicated during his pregame news conference that “drastic” changes could be in store for rotations and maybe the starting lineup. He told no lies.

He turned to a first-time starting lineup: Curry and Moody at guard, Butler and rookie Will Richard and at forward, with Draymond Green at center. It’s Golden State’s sixth different starting lineup.

The most notable change was Jonathan Kuminga, the only Warrior to start the first 12 games, moving to the bench. He leads the team in minutes, rebounds and turnovers – committing at least four giveaways in four of the last seven games.

Starting Moody was a good call, as his offense was crucial. He scored 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 4-of-6 from deep, in 13 first-half minutes. He finished with 19 and was plus-2 over 26 minutes.

Richard, however, made little impact. An early-season revelation, he was scoreless, without taking a shot, did not snag a rebound in 10 first-half minutes. He finished with three points, one rebound and one assist. He was plus-1 over 22 minutes.

Quiet bench comes alive

One of the strengths of the Warriors has been their bench production. With Moody leading the way, the reserves entered the game averaging 40.2 points per game, tied for fifth in the NBA.

For much of the evening, it appeared Golden State’s bench wouldn’t come anywhere near its average, as it managed only eight points in the first half.

The wakeup call came at halftime, as the bench rallied for 15 points to finish with 23. Still below its scoring average but that, along with solid defense and considerable grit, was enough to sufficiently support Curry’s magnificence.

Kuminga’s first tour with the bench crew this season did not go well. He watched from the bench as the Warriors posted a 43-28 advantage in the third quarter and spent the entire second half as a spectator. He finished with zero points, four rebounds and was minus-10 over 12 minutes.

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Rangers Sign Goaltender Spencer Martin

James Guillory-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with goaltender Spencer Martin on a two-year contract.

Martin was previously playing in the KHL with CSKA Moscow before his contract was bought out after 14 games.

The 30-year-old goaltender has played in 66 total NHL games for the Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Carolina Hurricanes. 

In those 66 games, Martin recorded a 24-30-8 record, 3.56 goals against average, and .883 save percentage. 

The Rangers placed Martin on waivers upon signing him with the intention of sending him down to the Hartford Wolf pack of the American Hockey League if he goes unclaimed.

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Why Did The Senators Choose Tyler Kleven Over Jordan Spence In Overtime?

When the Ottawa Senators head for overtime, something they've done five times in their last six games, they have a fairly predictable plan for their blue line. First, they rotate Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot.

End of plan.

Sanderson and Chabot take alternating shifts until overtime ends, and unless they're needed in round 10 of the shootout, the other four guys' nights are done.

But when Chabot left the Dallas game with an injury on Monday night, the Senators had to turn off their overtime autopilot and come up with a new plan. Who would replace Chabot in the furious action of the 3-on-3? Would it be Jordan Spence, Artem Zub, Nick Jensen, or Tyler Kleven?

With his puck skill, skating speed, and point production, Spence is the player in that group who most resembles Chabot, and it's not even close. Then you might next think about Zub, who's more known for his defense, but has shown some offensive flash this season with 9 points.

But the Senators went with stay-at-home defenseman Tyler Kleven.

Kleven has zero goals and one assist in 15 games, and while he has done some good things this season, his levels of quickness, puck skill and creating offence aren't the reason he's in this league. And in the wide open spaces of NHL overtime, those are crucial virtues..

Head coach Travis Green was at his short-answering best after the game when asked why Kleven was seen as the best option to replace Chabot in OT.

Ottawa Senators Lose Defenseman Thomas Chabot To Injury On Tuesday NightOttawa Senators Lose Defenseman Thomas Chabot To Injury On Tuesday NightChabot's injury exposes the Senators' lack of organizational depth on the left side.

"Just... Baumer went with him," Green said, referring to assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner, who looks after the defense.

Green could have just said, "That's what we decided to do," which would have been very much on brand. Instead, he decided to share or remind us that it's his assistant coach who makes that call.

So we're left to speculate, as we so often are, and this was probably a decision based on trust. Since Kleven's calling card is defense, Baumgartner chose the defenseman he felt he could most rely on, maybe not to win the game, but the one that's least likely to do something that might lose the game.

It could be that Baumgartner is still spooked by Spence's last-minute turnover against the Islanders last month, which cost the Senators at least one point in the standings. But if that were true, Spence wouldn't have been elevated to the second pairing.

Interestingly, with Kleven out there for the extra frame on Tuesday to provide defence and physicality, it was a major defensive breakdown that led to the winning goal, with Stars players being allowed to stand around freely in Ottawa's slot area. Kleven and Shane Pinto became the second and third goaltenders on the play, but in fairness, it was Dylan Cozens who contributed most to that defensive breakdown.

NHL.com

Dallas forward Jason Robertson took the puck behind Ottawa's net, and Kleven had him contained to the outside, but Cozens unwisely left his post in front to help Kleven. That left Miro Heiskanen all alone in front, which led to four straight shot attempts from the Stars. The Sens blocked the first three, and two were game-savers by Shane Pinto, but every rebound ended up perfectly on Dallas stick blades until Hintz put it away.

Looking ahead, if Chabot is out for any length of time, it will be interesting to see how the Sens handle things in their next overtime and if Kleven continues to be their plan B. My old co-host, John Rodenburg at Ottawa's TSN 1200 radio, put it perfectly, asking the question many Sens fans are asking today:

If Jordan Spence isn't built for 3-on-3 overtime, what is he built for?

Steve Warne
The Hockey News/Ottawa

Read more at The Hockey News Ottawa:

Staios On Linus Ullmark: ‘I Believe In Linus, The Team Believes In Linus.’
Four Takeaways From Senators 4-2 Victory Over Utah Sunday Night
Former Ottawa Senator GM Passes Away At Age 70
Ullmark: "There Are So Many Things I'd Like To Say To All The Doubters"