07/12/25 09:37:00
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07/12 21:35 CDT Paul Skenes to start 2nd straight All-Star Game for NL and
Tarik Skubal to open for AL
Paul Skenes to start 2nd straight All-Star Game for NL and Tarik Skubal to open
for AL
ATLANTA (AP) --- Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes will start his second straight
All-Star Game for the National League and Detroit's Tarik Skubal will open for
the American League on Tuesday night at Truist Park.
Major League Baseball made the announcement Saturday night.
Skenes will become the first pitcher to start consecutive All-Star Games since
Washington's Max Scherzer and Boston's Chris Sale in 2017 and '18. Sale started
three in a row beginning in 2016.
Skenes and Skubal are 1-2 in average four-seam fastball velocity among those
with 1,500 or more pitches this season, Skenes at 98.2 mph and Skubal at 97.6
mph, according to MLB Statcast.
Skenes worked around Juan Soto's walk in a scoreless first at Arlington, Texas,
last year, throwing at up to 100.1 mph. He made the start after just 11 major
league appearances, the fewest for an All-Star.
Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski, with five appearances, could take over that mark
Tuesday if he pitches.
Skubal pitched a perfect second inning in his first All-Star appearance last
year, following Baltimore's Corbin Burnes to the mound.
A 23-year-old right-hander, Skenes is 4-8 despite a major league-best 2.01 ERA
for the Pirates, who are last in the NL Central. The 2024 NL Rookie of the Year
has 131 strikeouts and 30 walks in 131 innings.
Skubal, a 28-year-old left-hander, is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. He
is 10-3 with a 2.23 ERA, striking out 153 and walking 16 in 121 innings.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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