The Pittsburgh Pirates may be out of contention in the National League playoff race for now, but they have a bonafide superstar in ace Paul Skenes. The 2023 first overall pick made his big league debut on May 11th and since then, he's done nothing but dominate.
Through seven starts, he owns a 4-0 record and a 2.29 ERA, striking out 53 hitters in 39.1 innings while walking just seven hitters. Skenes has lived up to every expectation and he's impressed one of the best lefties to ever step on a mound.
Ex-New York Yankees starter CC Sabathia made an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show and heaped praise on Skenes, even saying he wants to see the 22-year-old in the 2024 MLB All-Star Game:
“Paul Skenes is the real deal and he's gonna be a bonafide ace for a very long time..he's been electric and I wanna see him in the All-Star Game. It would be fun to see him face some of the best hitters in the American League so if he can keep it up for a couple of more starts I'd love to see him in Arlington.”
Before being promoted, Skenes had a mind-boggling 0.99 ERA in Triple-A Indianapolis in seven appearances, racking up 45 strikeouts in 27.1 frames. Opposing hitters were slashing just .175. It was only a matter of time until he got the call.
Does Paul Skenes deserve an All-Star chance?
Sure, it's only been seven outings, but what Skenes is doing is nothing short of outstanding. He is blowing away MLB hitters with his triple-digit fastball and outside of giving up three runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers, every start has been essentially flawless. Even against LA, he still kept the Bucs in the game.
When it comes to the ASG, fans do not choose the pitchers. It's the Commissioner's office and player ballot selections who decide what arms get to feature in the prestigious game.
While both Hideo Nomo and Masahiro Tanaka made the All-Star Game as rookies, they pitched for years professionally in Japan before coming to the US. Skenes has made just 18 pro starts since getting drafted out of LSU. It's not a lot, but there's been zero signs that Skenes isn't ready for the moment.
The youngest player to ever feature in the ASG is Dwight Gooden, who was 19 years of age in 1984. At 22, Paul Skenes may be young but he's already one of the best pitchers in the sport, never mind the National League. The scariest part? He's just getting started. Rarely do you see any starter average triple digits with their heater. It's a treat to watch.
The ASG takes place on July 16th in Arlington. That means Skenes will probably have a few more outings before that, but the final rosters are announced on July 7th.
Whether Skenes makes it or not, it's crystal clear he will be an All-Star many, many times in what looks to be a long, successful career in the show. Regardless, all eyes will be locked in to see if his name pops up on the NL roster.
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