Finally, Paul Skenes gets to pitch for a good team
The AL and NL rosters for next week’s All-Star Game was announced Sunday evening and two of your former Fightin’ Tigers of LSU, Alex Bregman and Paul Skenes are heading to Atlanta.
Bregman is now a three-time All-Star and it is his first appearance since 2019. Bregman’s first two came while he was with the Houston Astros, and now he’s earned the distinction again in his first year with Boston.
Bregman hasn’t played since May 23 because of a right quad strain and he won’t be active until after the All-Star Break so there’s no chance he competes in the game. But prior to that injury, Bregman was having career resurgence with the Red Sox. In the 51 games prior to his injury, Bregman was hitting .299 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs. He also had an OPS of .553, his highest since his last All-Star appearance in 2019.
Skenes has been a big leaguer for two years and he’s been an All-Star both seasons. Skenes has been arguably the best pitcher in baseball with a 1.94 ERA, lowest in the NL among starters, and 125 strikeouts against 30 walks. He has a WHIP of 0.92 in 116 innings and all that hard work has earned him four (4) wins this season.
If you thought what Matt House did to Jayden Daniels in the fall of 2023 was bad, it ain’t nothing compared to what the Pirates are doing to Skenes. Take today for example. Skenes threw five shutout innings in Seattle, struck out 10, and Pittsburgh lost the game 1-0. Skenes was pulled after just 78 pitches and the Pirate bullpen lasted two outs before giving up a solo home run.
Through 42 starts, Skenes has a 1.92 ERA and 15 wins. He has an ERA of 1.72 over his last 13 starts and only has one win. All of that seems impossible until you remember “oh yeah it’s the Pirates.” It’s downright criminal what this organization is doing to him, and the sooner Skenes can get out of Pittsburgh the better.
The 2025 MLB All-Star Game will be next Tuesday, July 15 at 7:00.