It’s been good to be Paul Skenes these days.
The Pirates’ star rookie made a bit of history on Sunday when he was selected to play in the MLB All-Star Game, becoming the first player to be selected first overall in the draft and then named to the following year’s All-Star team. Bob Nightingale of USA Today.
Skenes has been in the midst of a tumultuous season since being promoted to the MLB and starting against the Chicago Cubs on May 11.
The rookie pitcher is 5-0 with a 2.12 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 59 1/3 innings.
The LSU product has struck out 78 times during that span and is batting .221 against.
“I definitely don’t expect it,” Skenes said about being selected for the All-Star Game. Pittsburgh Tribune Review. “I think it’s just a result of just being there and doing the job that was necessary. When we were there, the expectation was definitely to win a national championship. That’s the only thing we wanted to do.”
“But in terms of being drafted No. 1 overall, being called up whenever I could, and now going to the All-Star Game, I didn’t have any expectations. I just kind of did the best I could and let other people make the decisions. So, a lot happened over the course of a year. It wasn’t necessarily hectic or anything, but looking back, it just flew by.”
Skenes has been gaining attention not only for his play on the field, but also for his relationship with gymnastics superstar and social media influencer Olivia “Livi” Dunn, which he made official in a media interview in August 2023. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Although Skenes’ relationship with Dan was the subject of much discussion, Skenes’ play made him an instant celebrity in the sporting world.
“I think his ability is No. 1. He’s got really top-tier talent,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “His ability to develop as a starting pitcher is what sets him apart. Even in his last two starts, his throwing motion was a little shaky in the first two innings, but he was able to correct that and not miss games. That’s really unusual for a young pitcher.”
“I think it just goes to show how good he is and why we acquired him last year, because we thought he was a guy that could go straight to the big leagues and be very successful.”
