Tonight’s MLB All-Star game marks the halfway point in the 2024 MLB season. The game’s best performers are voted on by fans based on their on-field play this year. The NL All-Stars will be led by rising star, Paul Skenes (PIT), who did better at the polls than Charlie Morton (ATL), Zack Wheeler (PHI), Aaron Nola (PHI), and Chris Sale (ATL).
Skenes was the first overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2023 draft. In college, Skenes had a 13–2 win-loss record and a 1.69 ERA with the LSU Tigers. After a short stint in the minor leagues, he was called up to the majors just two months into the MLB season.
Since getting called up on May 8th, Skenes holds an undefeated 6-0 record with a 1.9 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP through 11 games played. Skenes tops the MLB in those statistics during his time pitching in the major leagues.
The rookie’s demand has been masterful thus far as he has overwhelmed the competition with his five-pitch arsenal. These pitches include a changeup, a curveball, a slider, a fastball, and a unique pitch that is a cross between a splitter and sinker, which he dubs ‘the splinker’.
His most dominant performance to date came last week in Milwaukee. Skenes annihilated the Milwaukee Brewers, throwing for seven no-hit innings before being pulled by Pirates manager Derek Shelton before he could etch his name in the history books. Although, when asked about it post-game, Skenes told reporters he had no issue being pulled, calling it “workload management”, and that he felt tired after the 7th inning.
In this evening’s All-Star game, we will get to see how he fairs against a loaded lineup of bats featuring Vlad Guerrero Jr. (TOR), Gunnar Henderson (BAL), Juan Soto (NYY), and current home run leader, Aaron Judge (NYY). This is the first time Skenes will be seeing these players in the batter’s box which will be must-see TV. With that said, no matter how he performs tonight, he is starting because he deserves it. Albeit an extremely small sample size, Paul Skenes is not only on pace for a historic season, but he has shown in just 11 major league appearances that he has what it takes to be one of the game’s elite-level pitchers.
