The Paul Skenes Jacob Misiorowski debate looks like it will be one that will rage for years. On Sunday morning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, the two star pitchers will face off for just the second time in their careers. They are both widely considered two of the best pitchers in baseball, and there’s significant discourse about which one tops the list. To some, the outcome of Sunday’s game will be the definitive answer, for the time being.
Their first matchup was just the third career start for Misiorowski, and the 40th for Skenes. The Miz came away with the 4-2 win, giving up just two hits and no runs while striking out eight in five innings pitched. At the time, the game was not considered as important as their upcoming battle. Misiorowski was just a young prospect, and Skenes was an established star, on his way to a Cy Young award.
Paul Skenes Jacob Misiorowski Part 2
Both players were selected to the National League All-Star squad, and both started the season looking like they would be battling it out for this year’s Cy Young. While Misiorowski has stayed hot, the shine has worn a bit on Skenes. From his May 17th start against the Philadelphia Phillies to his July 1 start against the same team, Skenes went 0-6 with three no-decisions. He posted a WHERIP (Walks + Hits + Earned Runs per inning pitched) of 2.213 over that stretch.
The worst starting pitcher in all of baseball last season may have been Antonio Senzatala of the Rockies, and his WHERIP was 2.577. The margin between Skene’s three-month stretch and Senzatala’s 2025 campaign is razor-thin. The Pirates pitcher still has decent numbers for the year, thanks to his hot start. His WHERIP of 1.457 for 2026 is respectable, but nowhere near his standards, and nowhere near the season Misiorowski is having.
The Brewers flame thrower has a league-best 0.937 WHERIP, is averaging 13.5 strikeouts per nine (first in the MLB) and 6.19 strikeouts per walk (also first). He is head and shoulders above Skenes and every other pitcher in the MLB right now. Sunday’s matchup won’t prove anything, at least, not any more than their first one did.
Head-To-Head Matchups Prove Nothing
Regardless of their stats, no intelligent fan would think the outcome of the game mattered anyway. The battle between individual players in team sports never determines the better player. It might matter in tennis, where the match is literally 1v1, and each player has to return the other’s shots. It hardly matters in golf, since players are hardly playing each other, but trying to beat the course.
It’s the same story when people talk about Brady versus Manning. Neither one has ever actually played against the other. They play against each other’s teammates. The same is true for pitchers in baseball. No matter what the score ends up, and regardless of who gets the win or loss, neither Skenes nor Misiorowski will have beaten the other. As such, this game won’t determine the better player. It will be incredibly entertaining, though.
