Pirates' Paul Skenes ready to start All-Star Game again: 'A huge honor and huge opportunity'

In part stemming from an aversion to receiving compliments, hyping up himself and publicity in general, Paul Skenes can be notoriously succinct when asked about his growing list of accolades as a major-leaguer.

After all, last summer, when Skenes was named to the All-Star Game, as well as the NL’s starter as a rookie following only 11 MLB outings, he had the following reaction:

“Pretty dang cool.”

On Saturday, Skenes (4-8, 2.01 ERA) was again named the NL starter for Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta, this time by skipper Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 23-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates phenom, per Elias Sports Bureau, is set to become the first pitcher and one of five MLB players ever to start in the All-Star Game in each of his first two big-league seasons, along with Joe DiMaggio (seven, 1936-42), Ichiro Suzuki (four, 2001-04), Rod Carew (three, 1967-69) and Frank Robinson (two, 1956-57).

Pretty dang cool, indeed.

“It’s a huge honor and huge opportunity to be able to be in an All-Star Game, for one, and to start the All-Star Game is unbelievable,” Skenes said on MLB Network’s broadcast of the 2025 All-Star Game Media Day in Atlanta. “Glad I can stick with my normal routine and go out there and pitch. It’s going to be fun.”

"It's a huge honor, huge opportunity... it's gonna be fun."

Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal talk about toeing the rubber and taking in the moment during tomorrow's #AllStarGame!

???? All-Star Media Day on MLB Network pic.twitter.com/SgnwxcudzB

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 14, 2025

Skenes’ adversary on the hill Tuesday, Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (10-3, 2.23 ERA), a Cy Young winner last year who’s starting for the AL, also reflected on his upcoming assignment.

“For me, I don’t want to take anything in this game for granted,” Skubal said. “It kind of happened after I got hurt in 2022, and the big leagues get taken away from you a little bit. I wanted to make sure I appreciate every other moment that happens in my career.

“I think that this game is so beautiful and in the grand scheme of things, your career is going to be short in terms of how long you live. So I want to be able to enjoy however many years I get to play the game and enjoy all the support that we have from our fan base, as well.”

In 2024, much anticipation surrounded Skenes’ meeting with some of the AL’s top sluggers, namely the Yankees’ Aaron Judge, Juan Soto (then also of the Yankees) and Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson.

Taking the hill, Skenes induced Henderson into a groundout before walking Soto with two outs.

That brought Judge into the batter’s box with Soto on first, but Skenes got Judge to groundout to third base, ending the inning and his first All-Star appearance in scoreless fashion after 16 pitches.

Monday afternoon, the AL and NL starting lineups were announced.

Guaranteed to face Skenes in the first inning are Detroit second baseman Gleyber Torres, Tigers outfielder Riley Greene and, batting third, Judge.

Hitting cleanup for the AL is Mariners catcher and MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh.

Even at this point in his young MLB career, which comprises 43 starts dating to May 11, 2024, Skenes has navigated his fair share of scenarios and situations.

He’s dominated and has been jacked out of the park on a first pitch.

He’s struggled with command but more often has stupefied batters with his unique repertoire.

And to date, he’s never surrendered more than six hits in a big-league start.

Ultimately, when he’s on the mound and executing his pitches properly, Skenes believes he’s going to put away whomever he’s facing.

“Yeah, I definitely feel that way until they clip you,” Skenes said. “This is the All-Star Game, they are big-league hitters. Usually it doesn’t happen, but occasionally it happens when you dot a pitch and they hit it over the fence. So what can you do?”

Roberts indicated that critiques of Skenes’ record in 2025 — more a reflection of the Pirates as opposed to Skenes’ individual shortcomings — did not escape his attention.

How deeply Roberts may have considered Phillies ace Zack Wheeler (9-3, 2.36) as starter for the NL, before Wheeler took himself out of consideration when he opted out of the game Friday, is unknown.

But with Wheeler out of the equation, Skenes became the clear favorite to receive the call.

"To be able to share the field with them is an awesome experience, great to be back."

Dave Roberts and Paul Skenes talk about the @Pirates pitcher being named NL starter for the #AllStarGame for the second consecutive year. pic.twitter.com/2BMNK4ipI0

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 14, 2025

“I think for me, it was easy in the sense of, obviously, what Paul’s done with performance should override and supersede anything,” Roberts said. “Which, he’s done that. I think when you’re talking about the game, where it’s at, (Skenes and Skubal) are guys that you can root for, are super talented, are going to be the faces of this game for years to come.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if (Skenes) does it again next year again, but it’s an honor to have him toe the rubber for the National League.”

In all likelihood, Skenes will pitch only the first inning Tuesday.

In the meantime, Skenes is excited to chat with baseball’s best in Atlanta, particularly Los Angeles’ Clayton Kershaw, who makes his 11th All-Star appearance via legacy selection by commissioner Rob Manfred.

Skenes will also be on hand Monday evening to watch teammate Oneil Cruz partake in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby.

By the end of this year’s All-Star festivities, Skenes hopes to learn a thing or two from the game’s stars while imparting some helpful hints of his own to whoever asks.

“Looking forward to talking to (Kershaw) and picking his brain in particular,” Skenes said. “But everybody’s here for a reason, and they’re hopefully going to have something that can help me. I like to think that I can do the same for them. Just looking forward to talking with everybody.”