The new face of MLB will take his place on the bump at the start of the Midsummer Classic.
Paul Skenes’ unbelievable rookie campaign, where he is mowing down lineups left and right, is about to be on full display on the world stage. The Pirates’ young ace will start for the National League in the 2024 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. Skenes received the exhilarating news from NL manager Torey Lovullo, who surprised him during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show on Friday.
Embed from Getty Images“That’s unbelievable,” Skenes said when he heard the news. “That’s awesome.”
“So well deserved,” Lovullo told Skenes. “We’re super excited to make this announcement. You represent so many great things that this game craves. It’s such a great story the way you’ve come on the scene, the way you’ve done it with such humbleness. It’s noticeable. I’ll be honored to be your manager and I’m going to be honored to be watching you throw your first pitch.”
He joins an exclusive club with just four rookie pitchers having started the All-Star Game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Skenes will join Hideo Nomo (1995), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Mark Fidrych (1976) and Dave Stenhouse (1962) in doing so. Even more notably, Skenes’ 11 starts tie Fidrych for the fewest in a career going in to an All-Star start. Fidrych also made two appearances out of the bullpen prior to his All-Star start.
Skenes, 22 years-old, will also become the first Pirates pitcher in nearly a half century to start the All-Star Game and the fifth overall, joining Jerry Reuss (1975), Dock Ellis (1971), Vern Law (1960) and Bob Friend (1960 and 1956).
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of LSU, Skenes has been utterly dominant since making his debut on May 11. Over 11 starts, the flamethrowing 6-foot-6 right-hander has posted a 1.90 ERA with 89 Ks and 13 free passes in 66 1/3 innings of work. Among pitchers who have thrown at least 60 innings this season, he ranks second in ERA and K/9 (12.08), third in WHIP (0.92) and fifth in K/BB ratio (6.85).
In his most recent masterpiece on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers, Skenes threw seven hitless innings with 11 strikeouts on 99 pitches, marking the second time this season he has left an outing without surrendering a hit.
Despite his overwhelming success, Skenes said he did not expect and had not put much thought into the possibility of starting the All-Star Game, especially because he was focused on Thursday’s start.
“Now I can focus my attention on the All-Star Game,” Skenes said. “That’s pretty dang cool.”
