Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander Paul Skenes, a 2023 LSU All-American and MVP of the College World Series, will be the National League starting pitcher in the 2024 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
The Pirates’ ace will start for the NL in the Midsummer Classic at 7 p.m. CT Tuesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Skenes received the news Friday from National League manager Torey Lovullo of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who surprised him during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show.
“That’s unbelievable,” Skenes said when he received 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.”
Skenes will join Hideo Nomo (1995), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Mark Fidrych (1976) and Dave Stenhouse (1962) as the only rookies to start an All-Star Game. Skenes’ 11 starts for Pittsburgh this season tie Fidrych for the fewest in a career entering an All-Star start.
Skenes will also be the first former LSU pitcher to draw a starting assignment in an All-Star Game.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, Skenes has been dominant since making his big-league debut on May 11. Over 11 starts, he has posted a 1.90 ERA with 89 strikeouts and 13 walks in 66.1 innings.
Among pitchers who have thrown at least 60 innings this season, he ranks second in ERA and K/per 9 innings (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, marking the second time this season he exited an outing without having allowed a hit.
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