Paul Skenes made MLB history on Thursday. Milwaukee Brewers.
Just days after making history as the first first overall MLB draft pick to be selected to the following season’s All-Star Game, Skenes took the mound in a getaway game against the Brewers on Thursday afternoon. Pittsburgh Pirates Ahead of the weekend series Chicago White Sox.
Skenes was superb, as he has been all season.
His pitches were so good, in fact, that they put manager Derek Shelton in a tough spot when Skenes induced a grounder in the bottom of the seventh, a 93 mph split ball, his 100th pitch of the day.
He had yet to allow a hit.
With the Pirates leading 1-0, manager Shelton called on his bullpen to bring in a rookie pitcher looking to throw a no-hitter.
It was the second time Shelton has had to make such a decision this season. It was Skenes’ second career start. Chicago CubsHe pitched six hitless innings, but because Skenes had already thrown 100 pitches, Shelton replaced the big right-hander rather than let him go another inning.
Skenes missed out on a chance at baseball immortality, but he still made history in this game: He pitched seven hitless innings on Thursday and struck out 11 Brewers batters, matching the 11 he recorded against the Cubs in mid-May.
Who is the only hitter to go six or more hitless innings twice and record 11 or more strikeouts in a single season?
Nolan Ryan in 1973. It’s worth noting that Ryan finished both games with no-hitters, but with the way his career has started, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before Skenes throws one too.
But going back to the history that this young right-hander has made, it feels like even more history is just around the corner. As mentioned above, Skenes has been selected to play in the All-Star Game next Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas.
Will Skenes be selected as a starter in a National League game?
There Skenes — Heading to Arlington 6-0 in 66.1 innings With a 1.90 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP, he’s a good candidate to start on Tuesday night. John Smoltz responded:Probably yesWhen asked if Skenes had earned the position, MLB Network On Thursday, commentator and former pitcher Dan Plesac called Skenes an “absolute dunk” on being the All-Star starter.
If so, that will be even more history.
Skenes will be the fifth rookie pitcher to be selected. He became the first pitcher in MLB history to appear as a starting pitcher in the All-Star Game, joining Hideo Nomo (1995), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Mark Fidrych (1976) and Dave Stenhouse (1962) as the first starting pitchers to do so.
But Fidrych has only made 11 starts and will be in line to be an All-Star Game starter after just 11 starts in his rookie season.
As he finally threw a no-hitter, it looks like more history is on the way for Skenes.
