Paul Skenes named National League starting pitcher for 2024 All-Star Game

Former LSU star Paul Skenes continues to make history in his rookie season. Skenes has been named the starting pitcher for the National League for the MLB All-Star game, it was announced Friday morning.

Skenes will become only the fifth rookie to start the MLB All-Star game. The news comes a day after he had a dominant outing against the Milwaukee Brewers, pitching 7 scoreless innings and recording 11 strikeouts, without allowing a hit.

Paul Skenes has been sensational throughout his rookie campaign after being selected No. 1 overall in last year’s MLB Draft.

The 22-year-old has yet to suffer a loss in his MLB career. Skenes is 6-0 on the season with a 1.90 ERA. He’s recorded 89 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings pitched and has an incredible 0.92 WHIP.

Skenes made plenty of history thanks to Thursday’s dominant outing. By reaching at least the seven strikeouts mark, it marked the 10th time he has reached that number in his first 11 starts in the bigs, making him the first to accomplish that feat in MLB since at least 1901.

Skenes also became just the second-ever pitcher to have multiple starts with no hits allowed and at least 11 strikeouts in a game in a single season. Nolan Ryan is the only other pitcher to accomplish that feat, according to Opta Stats.

Skenes spent the first two seasons of his college career at Air Force where he was named a two-time First-Team All-American.

He then transferred to LSU ahead of the 2023 season, where he’d help lead the Tigers to a national championship victory in Omaha while being named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player and winner of the Dick Howser Trophy, all after being named the Player and Pitcher of the Year by several publications. He led the nation with 209 strikeouts.

After being selected by the Pirates with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and signing the highest-ever signing bonus for a drafted player ($9.2 million), Paul Skenes quickly made his way up Pittsburgh’s minor league ranks.

He made quick stops with the rookie-level Florida Complex League Pirates, the Single-A Bradenton Marauders and the Double-A Altoona Curve before starting the 2024 season with the Triple–A Indianapolis Indians.

With the Indians, Skenes posted a 0.99 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 27.1 innings before being called up to the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 11 for his MLB debut against the Chicago Cubs.