Pirates' Paul Skenes All-Star Opponent Revealed
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes will start for the National League in the All-Star Game and has his reported opponent from the American League.
Baltimore Orioles right-handed pitcher Corbin Burnes will start for the American League in the All-Star Game, according to Jon Heyman of the NY Post.
Orioles star Corbin Burnes is expected to get the All-Star start for the AL vs. NL starter Paul Skenes
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 15, 2024
Burnes is 9-4 in 19 starts on the season, along with a 2.43 ERA in 118.2 innings pitched, 1.04 WHIP, 110 strikeouts to 25 walks, plus 99 hits and 32 earned runs allowed.
His ERA is third best in the MLB and second best in the AL behind Detroit Tigers left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubial at 2.41. His innings pitched is also sixth most in the MLB, while his WHIP is 14th best.
Burnes spent the first six seasons of his career from 2018-23 with the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming a full-time starter in 2021.
His best season came in 2021, as he had an 11-5 record in 28 starts, a MLB-best 2.43 ERA, second best 0.94 WHIP, fifth most strikeouts at 234 to just 34 walks, plus 167.0 innings pitched and a 6.9 K/BB. He earned the NL CY Young Award for his efforts that season.
Burnes led the MLB in strikeouts in 2022, with 243 and played a large role in the Brewers making the playoffs five of the six seasons he was there.
He finished his time in Milwaukee with a 45-27 record in 167 games and 106 starts, 709.1 innings pitched, 870 strikeouts, 3.26 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.
The Brewers traded Burnes in the offseason to the Orioles this past offseason, bringing back left-handed pitcher DL Hall, infielder Joey Ortiz, plus a compensatory draft pick.
Skenes is having a great season himself as a rookie. He has a 6-0 record in 11 starts, 1.90 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 66.1 innings pitched, 89 strikeouts to just 13 walks, a 6.8 K/BB and just 14 earned runs.
He is the first member of the Pirates to start for the National League in the All-Star Game since Jerry Reuss did it in 1975, 49 years ago.
Skenes and Burnes will face off at 8:00 p.m. EST at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, the home of the Texas Rangers.
