Pirates rookie pitching sensation Paul Skenes named NL’s All-Star Game starter

Paul Skenes will be taking the mound first in Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game (8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Friday that their rookie phenom pitcher will be the National League’s starting pitcher . The 22-year-old will become the fourth rookie to start an All-Star Game and the youngest starting pitcher for an All-Star Game since Dwight Gooden in 1986. 

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, who will manage the NL squad, strongly hinted that Skenes would get the start in the All-Star Game when he spoke with reporters Thursday. 

“The starters are all deserving of it,” Lovullo said when asked about whether Skenes was deserving of being named the starting pitcher for the NL. “I know this is going to go out as fast as lighting, but in particular, Paul Skenes. He [has] come on very quickly. He [has] been an unbelievable addition to Major League Baseball, and he [has] created a lot of interest. … I’m going to be situationally aware of that when I’m making this decision.”

The decision to give Skenes the starting nod came a day after he put up another impressive start, which might have been the best of his young career. He threw seven no-hit innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, striking out 11 hitters and giving up just one walk. He didn’t get a chance to get through the end of the no-hitter though, getting pulled after seven innings as he threw 99 pitches. 

[Related: Pirates All-Star rookie Paul Skenes’ incredible first half by the numbers]

Skenes has exceeded the hype surrounding him to start his professional career after being the first overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Following Thursday’s start, he improved to 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA, 89 strikeouts and a 0.920 WHIP in 66.1 innings over 11 starts since his debut on May 11. 

Even though Skenes hasn’t pitched enough innings to qualify among the leaders in certain statistical categories, many believed he was a lock to be named an All-Star when the rosters were announced. For instance, his 1.90 ERA would be the best in baseball if he had thrown enough innings to qualify. 

[Related: MLB’s 10 best rookie pitching seasons of past 50 years: Will Paul Skenes join the list?]

The bigger debate was whether he’d start the game. FOX Sports’ John Smoltz, who’ll be the color commentator for the All-Star Game, believed Skenes was worthy of getting the nod.

“From a standpoint of excitement … [and] raw talent, probably yes,” Smoltz told Rowan Kavner on whether Skenes should get the start. “Whenever, though, you’re talking about rewarding somebody for starting the All-Star Game and somebody who [has] pitched all year and is deserving, I think that’s where the nod should go. But I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that he could start, based on the timing of what other pitchers are able to do or not able to do.”

[Related: John Smoltz on Paul Skenes meriting All-Star start: ‘Probably yes’]

It’s not a question of whether Skenes will get the start anymore. Now, the question becomes how good he’ll be against the top of the American League’s lineup, which will likely feature just some of the game’s best hitters in Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Gunnar Henderson.

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