Paul Skenes available for College World Series decider against Florida

LSU and Florida meet on Monday night with the winner earning a national championship. Over the past 24 hours, much has been made about who Jay Johnson will send out to start for the Tigers.

We got that answer already, with Thatcher Hurd being first on the mound. He has been nails down the stretch for LSU, rising to the occasion multiple different times. However, this is a completely new level as Hurd looks to put together his best performance at the biggest moment.

But everyone still wants to know about Paul Skenes. The potential Golden Spikes Award winner last pitched on Thursday, sending LSU to the College World Series championship game. Could he be available at some point coming out of the bullpen?

While Johnson has not revealed anything, Leah Vann of the Advocate in Baton Rouge revealed Skenes will be available against Florida. Any kind of other information, to this point, is unknown.

“I do not know for how long, nor for how many pitches, nor when he will come in the game,” Vann said. “That remains to be seen.”

For the entire regular season, Skenes pitched on seven days of rest. The number grew to eight for the Super Regional against Kentucky, throwing on Saturday (opening game) instead of Friday. Getting on the mound after short rest has only occurred once, coming against Wake Forest last Thursday.

Skenes still dominated after only four days of rest. Eight innings of work with two hits, one walk, and no earned runs came on 120 pitches. He was the Paul Skenes of usual, once again proving why he is likely a top-three pick in the upcoming 2023 MLB Draft.

If Skenes does enter the game out of the bullpen, you would not expect him to throw too many pitches. He is now on just three days of rest, something he has never done in an LSU uniform. Hurd will go for as long as he possibly can and then Johnson is going to have a decision to make.

At the same time, everyone knows a national championship is on the line. Skenes the competitor will likely want to be out there, using his talents to help his teammates win one.

Questions will come of his usage — 243 pitches since Saturday, June 17 — in Omaha down the road.

For now, it’s about getting a win vs. Florida on Monday night, getting revenge for the 2017 series, and winning the Tigers’ first title since 2009.