Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal continue to enhance their personal trophy collections as standout pitchers in the baseball world. Both players aspire to lead their teams to victory in the upcoming season.

Skenes, at 23 years old, achieved a remarkable milestone by winning the National League Cy Young Award. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitcher received a unanimous vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Shortly after, Skubal secured the American League’s premier pitching award for the second consecutive year with the Detroit Tigers.

While both athletes appreciate the accolades, they are eager for their teams to excel in the upcoming 2026 season. However, uncertainties loom over their future with their current clubs.

Skubal, 28, is in the final year of his club contract with Detroit. Although he hopes to continue with the Tigers, the team might opt to trade him due to financial considerations as he approaches free agency. Similarly, Skenes, under team control for the rest of the decade, dispelled rumors of his desire to leave Pittsburgh, emphasizing his commitment to winning with the Pirates.

Despite Pittsburgh’s struggles in the previous season, Skenes remains optimistic about the team’s potential to contend. Leading the league in ERA and strikeouts during his first full MLB season in 2025, Skenes showcased his talent. Despite finishing with a 10-10 record, he clinched the Cy Young Award, with Cristopher Sanchez and Yoshinobu Yamamoto following in the voting.

Skubal, on the other hand, scooped 26 first-place votes in the American League, highlighting his dominance as a pitcher. Both Skenes and Skubal started the All-Star Game, a rare occurrence where both starting pitchers won the Cy Young Awards in the same season.

As the MVP awards approach, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are favored to win in their respective leagues, set to be announced soon.