The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes showed his worth at the All-Star Game 2024. He made history by being the first MLB player to be selected for the All-Star event in the same season when he was drafted. Extending his achievements, he became just the fifth rookie to retire Gunnar Henderson, Steven Kwan, and Yankees star Aaron Judge. Altogether, he went hitless in the first inning, pitching fiery 100.01 mph pitchers to the batters. 

Even Aaron Judge penned down a note praising the 22-year-old Pirates pitcher. With his All-Star participation, Skenes joined the elite club of Dave Stenhouse, Mark Fidrych, Fernando Valenzuela, and Hideo Nomo to be a rookie All-Star starter. However, despite all his achievements, questions are still raised about the Pirates’ management. Why so? Despite Skene’s brilliant performance, he was not given the chance to complete his 100th pitch in his MLB career. 

Renowned MLB analyst Tim Kurkjian expressed his thoughts on Paul Skenes

Though Paul Skenes showed his potential at the All-Star game, a few days before, he was pulled off from a game. Reflecting on the scenario, ESPN’s senior analyst Tim Kurkjian said, “I mean we don’t even allow our best players to be great today because we’re so careful about protecting them.” The MLB 2024 first half exposed most of the team’s pitching woes. Whether it was Dodgers star player Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s injury or the Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, teams have struggled with pitching this year. 

Further, speaking on Paul Skenes’s value in the team, Kurkjian further said, “So of course, I would like Paul Skenes to have stayed in that game but I wasn’t even surprised that they took him out after 99 pitches because he’s their greatest investment and they cannot allow him to get hurt when we know all pitchers are going to get hurt eventually.” It was the Thursday game against the Milwaukee Brewers when Skenes was taken out after 99 pitches. He pitched seven no-hit innings in the match, making his team win 1-0 against the Brewers. Also, with the injuries of Bailey Falter, Daulton Jefferies, and Dennis Santana, the Pirates might not afford to lose their in-form rookie pitcher. 

Even more, Aaron Judge was all-praise for the young Pirates pitcher. Sharing his thoughts on Skenes, Judge said, “You’ve got to be (aggressive) with a guy like that (who) can run it up to 100-plus (and) has feel for all of his pitches.” In the All-Star game 2024, Skenes constantly flashed balls at 100.1 mph. Altogether, crediting his pitching skills, Skenes shared his experience in the College World Series with LSU learning to handle pressure. Not to mention, Paul Skene’s selection for the World Series was beyond the number of pitches in the 2024 MLB season. 

Against all odds, Paul Skenes’s All-Star selection is commendable

It all started when Torey Lovullo, who managed the NL team in the All-Star Game, was asked about Skenes. He specifically mentioned Paul, saying he’s been “an unbelievable addition.” However, if there was an argument against Paul Skenes to start the All-Star pitching, it could have been on the number of pitching. 

Giving references, Skenes hasn’t crossed 100 pitches in his MLB career. On the other hand, Chris Sale, Christopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, and Hunter Greene are all veterans throwing 100-plus pitches in their careers. However, on a per-start basis, Skenes is ahead of others. A prime example would be his game against the Brewers, where he struck out 11 in seven no-hit innings. Also, he allowed two or fewer runs and hasn’t conceded three runs in any of his MLB starts. 

Similarly, he replicated his MLB performance in the big All-Star event. Although his team lost, Skenes would have had the experience of playing alongside star players. Aside from Judge, Ohtani, and Soto, Skenes could have been the player most talked about after his dominating All-Star performance. As our readers, What do you think about Paul Skenes’s All-Star 2024 performance? Let us know in the comments!