Paul Skenes vs Zack Wheeler: What the numbers say about which pitcher has performed better at mid-point of 2025 season

Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Paul Skenes and Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler have emerged as the two best-performing pitchers in the National League this season.

Skenes has a 4-8 record with a 2.01 ERA and 131 strikeouts. Wheeler boasts a 9-3 record, along with a 2.17 ERA and 148 total strikeouts.

The two starters are predicted to be in the conversation when it's time to hand out the prestigious NL Cy Young award in November. If there were a hypothetical mid-season award for the best NL pitcher, it would be Wheeler, who gets a slight edge.

San Diego Padres v Philadelphia Phillies - Source: Getty

Skenes' ERA of 2.01 marginally trumps Wheeler's 2.17. However, Wheeler comes out on top in strikeouts, strikeout rate, WHIP (Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched), and opponent batting average, all important metrics in gauging the quality of a pitcher.

On average, Wheeler also pitches longer into games compared to Skenes, an invaluable trait that makes a coach's decision of managing the bullpen easier.

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Paul Skenes named starter for 2025 All-Star game after Zack Wheeler withdraws

With the All-Star game coming up on Tuesday, NL skipper Dave Roberts had a difficult decision of choosing who to start the game between Zack Wheeler and Paul Skenes.

However, putting his organization first, Wheeler has decided to take the mound for the Phillies on Saturday, and opt out of participating in the All-Star game to rest his arm. This made Paul Skenes the obvious choice to take the mound, and the 23-year-old was confirmed as the NL's starter on Saturday.

Pittsburgh Pirates v Minnesota Twins - Source: Getty

Dave Roberts ought to be extremely confident in Skenes' ability to pitch well against the best of the AL as Pirates ace has been in great form.