MLB Rookie Pitching Sensation Paul Skenes 'Splinker' Goes World Wide On All-Star Game Stage

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes is the first rookie pitcher to start the All-Star Game since the Dodgers' Hideo Nomo at the Ballpark in Arlington in 1995.

Jul 16, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes walks the red carpet with LSU gymnast and girlfriend Livvy Dunne before the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

ARLINGTON — Rookie pitcher Paul Skenes just calls it a sinker.

It has been so effective during his first 11 MLB starts, however, that it has been dubbed a "splinker" because it moves with the high-90s velocity of a sinker but dips down in the zone like a Mike Scott split-fingered fastball.

It's a devastating addition to the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander's arsenal, leaving Major League hitters baffled. It helped him throw seven no-hit innings before coming out in his last start before the All-Star Break.

Skenes, who turned 22 in May, has been tabbed the National League starting pitcher for Tuesday's 94th MLB All-Star Game. He's the fifth rookie pitcher to start the All-Star Game and the first player to be selected an All-Star in the season after he was drafted.

The LSU power couple! 🐯

Paul Skenes and Livvy Dunne before hitting the #AllStarGame Red Carpet. pic.twitter.com/OPhJKesKE0

— MLB (@MLB) July 16, 2024

The last rookie pitcher to start an All-Star Game was the Dodgers Hideo Nomo in 1995 at the Ballpark in Arlington, which was the last time the Midsummer Classic was played in Arlington.

"It's an honor, but I'm 11 starts in, and here we are now," Skenes said. "Hopefully, there's a lot more time that I can play this game."

If he keeps going at the rate he's started, that shouldn't be a problem. Skenes is 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings over his first 11 starts.

His "splinker" presents hitters with a massive contrast to his fastball, which is typically traveling with a velocity north of 100 mph.

"I call it a sinker. Everybody else calls it a splinker," Skenes said. "I view it as having a different fastball, with a different shape. It forces hitters to choose between one or the other."

Skenes said he used his normal sinker grip for the "splinker" but altered the release point between being selected No. 1 in the 2023 MLB Draft and reporting to the Pirates.

"I kind of started fooling around with it between when the college season wrapped up and when I was going to report," he said. "I figured out a different cue for it and started throwing it and got command over it. The last part was throwing it to hitters to see how they reacted to it."

Their reaction? Most hitters can't pick it up in time to layoff. And if they do see it, it drops so sharply they usually swing over it or drive it into the turf.

"My brain can't even process how hard he throws." 😂@livvydunne and Paul Skenes join MLB Network on the MLB All-Star Red Carpet Show presented by Frutitas! pic.twitter.com/1GpkSwubdE

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 16, 2024

"How I was releasing it and what I was feeling as I released it changed a little bit, and I just kind of discovered it on one random throw, and then I just kept doing it," he said. "Looking at the [American League] lineup, there are no breaks there. There are no free outs. It is the All-Star Game. But I'm looking forward to attacking them each head-on. It's going to be cool."

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, who is managing the National League, said choosing Skenes was an easy choice.
"When I had a chance to make this decision, he was the early target. I wanted to make sure that the world got a chance to see him. We're going to be on the biggest stage tomorrow, and I am here to support and promote Major League Baseball the best way I know how. He is potentially a generational talent. I want to give him every opportunity to go out on this stage and show what he can do."

Jul 11, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports / Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

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