Jeff Passan calls for Paul Skenes to start MLB All-Star Game

One year after leading LSU to a national championship, Paul Skenes has taken baseball by storm. He flew through the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor-league system after going No. 1 overall in the 2023 MLB Amateur Draft, and is setting multiple records through the first couple months of his career.

But with the MLB All-Star Game coming up later this month, some are wondering if Skenes should get a chance to play for the National League. ESPN’s Jeff Passan, however, went a step further.

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He issued a passionate call for Skenes to start the game, which will be in Arlington, Texas later this month. It would add a new level of excitement around the event, and Passan said putting the top pick against the best players in the game could be a way to bring more viewers.

“I urge Torrey Lovullo, the manager of the National League team … to go and pick Paul Skenes to start,” Passan said on the All-Star Reveal Show. “Because if the idea is to get eyeballs on this game, if the idea is to have baseball fans see and feel a moment that excites them, Paul Skenes vs. Gunnar Henderson, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto is a pretty darn good place to do it.”

A closer look at Paul Skenes’ rookie year

Skenes has been electric to to start his major-league career. Through his first 10 starts, he has a perfect 5-0 record and a 2.12 ERA. He also set a new MLB record on Friday with his ninth start with at least seven strikeouts, which is the most in history through a pitcher’s first 10 games.

Skenes has faced some of the best hitters in baseball since getting the call up to the big leagues in May. One of his most notable showdowns came against two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani, who struck out on one of Skenes’ famous 100 mph fastballs.

Mookie Betts also struck out against Skenes, and he offered some high praise for the rookie on his podcast. He pointed out the growing excitement around the Pirates star and said he’s worth every bit of it.

“You’ve got the whole arsenal,” Betts said on his On Base with Mookie Betts podcast. “I mean I turn on college baseball now and these dudes are all throwing 95-plus. It wasn’t like that before. So as long as they can kind of fine-tune it and get into pro ball, especially a guy like Skenes, sitting 100. … I think he is worth the hype.”