NL’s plan for Paul Skenes at All-Star Game revealed
May 29, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the second inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Baseball fans will likely only be getting a brief cameo from Paul Skenes at this week’s All-Star Game.
Speaking with reporters on Monday, National League team manager Torey Lovullo revealed the plan for the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie phenom Skenes in Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic. Skenes, who will be starting the game for the NL, is only expected to pitch one inning, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports.
One inning, even from the game’s starting pitchers, is usually par for the course at the All-Star Game (though some pitchers have gone up to two innings in years past). That means that Skenes is only guaranteed to face Cleveland’s Steven Kwan, Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson, and the Yankees’ Juan Soto at the top of the AL lineup. One of those guys will have to get on base for Skenes to face the likes of the Yankees’ Aaron Judge, Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, and beyond.
There was some slight hope that Skenes, who is still only 22, may have been able to go up to two innings. But this was probably the likeliest outcome all along for the very hard-throwing Skenes, whom the Pirates are managing carefully (recently even controversially pulling him from a no-hit bid).
