Fastball

In Starting All-Star Game, Paul Skenes is Making All Kinds of Baseball History

On Friday, we learned that Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes is going to start the All-Star Game for the National League. While not totally unprecedented to have a rookie start the event, what Skenes is doing is historic on many levels.

Brady Farkas

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches the ball against Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning at Truist Park on June 29.
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches the ball against Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning at Truist Park on June 29. / Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports
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On Friday, it was announced that Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes will start the All-Star Game for the National League.

Skenes is absolutely deserving of the honor, going 6-0 in the first half with a ridiculous 1.90 ERA. He made his debut in the second week of May and already has 89 strikeouts in just 66.1 innings.

After being drafted No. 1 overall by the Pirates in the draft last year, Skenes is the first player in baseball history to make the All-Star team the year after being drafted. However, the history doesn't end there, as this accomplishment touches the record books on many different levels.

Per Sarah Langs of MLB.com:

At 22 years & 48 days old on Tuesday, Paul Skenes will be the 6th-youngest pitcher to start the All-Star Game, older than only:

1959 Jerry Walker: 20y, 172d
1981 Fernando Valenzuela: 20y, 281d
1986 Dwight Gooden: 21y, 241d
1976 Mark Fidrych: 21y, 334d
1971: Vida Blue: 21y, 350d

And there's this one also:

Paul Skenes will be the 5th rookie pitcher to start the All-Star Game, joining:

7/11/1995: Hideo Nomo
8/9/1981: Fernando Valenzuela
7/13/1976: Mark Fidrych
7/30/1962: Dave Stenhouse

h/t @EliasSports

While pitching for the National League in the first inning, Skenes is expected to face Gunnar Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles and then Juan Soto and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.

With Skenes pitches against Judge, it will be one of the most anticipated matchups in recent All-Star Game memory.

As for the Pirates, they are now 46-48 on the year after beating the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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