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Paul Skenes’ history headlines key takeaways from 2024 MLB All-Star Game rosters
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Paul Skenes’ magical rookie season will continue at the All-Star Game with the former LSU star carving out a bit of history.
Sunday evening, the full AL and NL rosters were revealed with pitching staffs and reserve players included. Skenes, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, was included just over a year removed from being taken in the draft.
If Skenes is named as the starter for the NL squad, he will carve out a bit more history in the process. The last rookie pitcher to start for the NL team was Hideo Nomo in 1995, though he came to MLB after a successful pro career in Japan.
Here are the other key takeaways from Sunday’s MLB All-Star roster reveal:
History for Paul Skenes
Paul Skenes has been taking MLB by storm, and befuddling hitters in the process. He has a perfect 5-0 record and was officially named to the NL All-Star roster Sunday evening.
In the process, Skenes becomes the first No. 1 overall draft pick to make the All-Star Game the following season. Just over a year removed from being the No. 1 pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Skenes is on the way to the midsummer classic and is in contention to start for the NL squad. (More on that in a bit.)
Skenes did not debut until May 11, but his numbers stack up when it comes to deserving the All-Star nod. He has a perfect 5-0 record with 78 strikeouts in 59.1 innings pitched, and his record could be even better if not for some disappointing performances from Pittsburgh’s offense and bullpen.
A host of newcomers headline the rosters
MLB has been dominated by a wave of youthfulness in recent seasons, and that is exemplified in the rosters for this year’s All-Star Game.
The rosters for this year’s game includes a total of 32 first-time All-Stars with 19 overall players under the age of 27. Skenes is among that group, along with a star-studded shortstop crop of young players.
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Cincinnati Reds SS Elly De La Cruz will make their first appearances in the All-Star Game.
The rosters are also devoid of any player with 10 or more All-Star appearances. Salvador Perez and Jose Altuve are back in the game for a 9th time while Bryce Harper, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Chris Sale are making their 8th overall appearance.
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Who nabs starting pitcher honors for the NL squad?
In what is possibly the deepest group on either roster, the debate for which pitcher earns the starting honors for the National League could be the most interesting storyline of the entire game. Skenes, though a rookie, is certainly in the mix, but the competition is stiff.
The other starting pitchers up for selection in the NL include Shota Imanaga, Tyler Glasnow, Reynaldo Lopez, Chris Sale, Ranger Suarez, Logan Webb and Zack Wheeler. From that group, only Wheeler is likely out of the picture as he is slated to pitch on the Sunday leading up to the All-Star Game.
It’s also safe to assume MLB would prefer a bigger name occupy the starting spot. That takes Lopez, the MLB ERA leader at 1.71, and Suarez, a 10-game winner with a 2.58 ERA, out of the picture.
With Wheeler also out of the equation, that likely leaves the decision on who should start for the NL between Skenes and Sale.
Obviously, Skenes is a major storyline right now, even without enough innings to qualify for most leaderboards. His 11.8 strikeouts per 9 innings would rank 3rd in all of MLB for all qualified starting pitchers, and his 2.12 ERA would also be among the best in baseball.
However, it could be tough to top what Sale has put together throughout the entire first half for the Atlanta Braves. He is tied for the MLB lead with 11 wins and his ERA (2.71) and SO9 (11.468) also stack up favorably to Skenes.
A former World Series champion and 8-time All-Star, Sale is back in the game for the first time since 2018 with the Boston Red Sox. He has the pedigree and elite numbers throughout the first half as a worthwhile candidate to start the All-Star Game.
Ultimately, the decision could come down to which starter would produce more attention for the game. If that’s the tie-breaker, it will likely be Skenes, but fans will have to wait a bit longer to find out.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
