ARLINGTON, Texas — Just thirteen months ago, Paul Skenes was winning a national championship at LSU. A year later, he was selected as the first pick in the MLB draft, aiming to join the big leagues as quickly as possible with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates obliged in May, and since then, Skenes has impressed by pitching exceptionally well in Major League Baseball.
At 22, and with only 11 major league appearances under his belt, Skenes started the All-Star Game for the National League on Tuesday night, becoming just the fifth rookie to do so. Despite the rapid rise, Skenes has remained calm and poised amid the chaos, thanks to his triple-digit fastball and impressive off-speed pitches.
On Tuesday, Skenes faced top American League players like Steven Kwan, Gunnar Henderson, Juan Soto, and Aaron Judge. He threw 16 pitches, inducing a popup, a tapper back to him, and a groundout to third, while walking one batter. Although the results were impressive, the atmosphere and excitement surrounding his performance were just as significant.
Skenes left the 94th All-Star Game, a 5-3 victory by the American League, feeling confident that his youth and inexperience wouldn’t impede his continued success. His teammates, many with numerous All-Star appearances, saw him as more than just hype, recognizing his substance and humility.
“The coolest part about it is they’re so accepting and welcomed me with open arms into the clubhouse,” Skenes said. “It was just really cool. Definitely feel like I’m one of them.”
Veteran pitchers like Chris Sale, Tyler Glasnow, Logan Webb, and Hunter Greene took time to mentor Skenes, making him feel welcome in their elite circle. The All-Star Game, while an exhibition, served as a platform for the best baseball players to showcase their skills through individual matchups.
In front of a national audience, Skenes impressed against some of the best hitters. Although he didn’t record a strikeout in his one-inning outing, his peers were in awe of his performance.
Webb, the NL Cy Young runner-up last season, remarked, “He was in college a year ago, so it’s pretty impressive to see him do his work day in, day out. Today I was kind of messing with him. I pretty much just said, ‘Hey, why don’t you sit down for a couple seconds?’ But he’s an awesome, awesome guy. And obviously you see his stuff up there. It’s pretty incredible.”
Skenes displayed nearly his entire pitching arsenal, including his blazing four-seam fastball (99 to 100 mph) and his hybrid splinker, already considered one of the game’s best pitches. He also used his slider and curveball to keep hitters like Soto off-balance. Despite feeling the nerves initially, Skenes settled in, leveraging his 6-foot-6, 235-pound frame to deliver high-quality pitches.
Soto acknowledged Skenes’s talent, admitting, “It’s a pretty good pitch. I swung through it twice, so definitely trying to get used to it and put together a good at-bat.” Soto walked, fulfilling his promise to set up a Skenes vs. Judge showdown, which ended with a groundout but generated significant buzz.
Detroit left-hander Tarik Skubal, who was warming up to pitch the second inning, praised Skenes: “The stuff — I mean, he’s an incredible talent. No one’s going to question his talent and what he possesses, and he works his ass off. I think he’s great for the game of baseball.”
Skenes, alongside stars like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, brings a new renaissance to baseball. With raw talent unmatched since Jacob deGrom, a stellar performance record, and growing social media presence, Skenes exemplifies the baseball star MLB needs. His All-Star teammate Shohei Ohtani also left a strong impression on Skenes, who admired Ohtani’s talent and presence.
Paul Skenes’s maturity and intelligence were evident throughout the All-Star week. He understood and embraced his role in the sport without feeling overwhelmed. Skenes acknowledged, “It’s cool to bring eyes to the game.”
His performance, both on and off the field, showed that he’s ready for the spotlight. Paul Skenes belongs in the major leagues, and he’s here to stay.