Here’s Pirates’ Paul Skenes’ Path To Second Straight All-Star Game Start

Paul Skenes took the National League by storm in 2024 and quickly earned the starting nod to represent the Pittsburgh Pirates in the All-Star Game.

Skenes pitched a scoreless frame and should certainly be in the conversation to start for the National League again in 2025. He does face legitimate competition in Los Angeles Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-3, 1.97 ERA) in the midst of an outstanding season for the reigning champions.

Washington Nationals lefty Mackenzie Gore leads the National League in strikeouts, but Skenes’ ERA is nearly a full run better. Skenes has a losing record, though that’s no fault of his own, with a 2.15 ERA and tied for the fifth-most strikeouts in the National League.

The next six weeks add time for the National League contenders to rise to the occasion as the Pirates ace seeks a return to the All-Star mound for the second consecutive year.

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