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July 12 (UPI) -- Rookie pitching phenom Paul Skenes will take his 100-mph fastballs to the mound as the starting pitcher for the National League at the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo announced Friday. Lovullo -- who will be the National League manager -- made the announcement in a cameo appearance while Skenes was being interviewed on the Dan Patrick Show.
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"That's unbelievable," Skenes said after hearing the news. "That's awesome."
Skenes, 22, joined the Pittsburgh Pirates out of LSU as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. He went 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA through 11 starts this season.
Skenes delivered one of his best performances Thursday, with no hits or runs allowed through seven innings in a win over the Milwaukee Brewers. He threw 11 strikeouts in that outing.
"We're super excited to make this announcement," Lovullo said. "You represent so many great things that this game craves.
"It's such a great story the way you've come on the scene, the way you've done it with such humbleness. It's noticeable. I'll be honored to be your manager and I'm going to be honored to be watching you throw your first pitch, super excited about that."
Skenes will become just the fifth rookie pitcher to start an All-Star Game, following Dave Stenhouse, Mark Fidrych, Fernando Valenzuela and Hideo Nomo.
The right-handed pitcher will face an American League lineup that includes starters Adley Rutschman, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Marcus Semien, Jose Ramirez, Gunnar Henderson, Aaron Judge, Steven Kwan, Juan Soto and Yordan Alvaraz.
The National League starting lineup includes William Contreras, Bryce Harper, Ketel Marte, Alec Bohm, Trea Turner, Jurickson Profar, Fernando Tatis Jr., Christian Yelich and Shohei Ohtani.
The MLB All-Star Game will be held at 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas and will air on Fox. The Home Run Derby will be at 7 p.m. Monday in Arlington and air on ESPN.
