Paul Skenes, the Pirates’ ace, just earned his third straight NL All-Star nod — a rare feat that places him in elite company with Pirates legends like Rip Sewell and Elroy Face, and makes him the first Pirate pitcher since Andrew McCutchen to achieve this three-peat. Despite a tougher season, his stats remain elite: a 3.62 ERA, 119 strikeouts (4th in MLB), and a .211 batting average against, with a solid 1.01 WHIP. He’s one of only a handful of pitchers in MLB history to be named an All-Star in each of their first three seasons, joining legends like Dwight Gooden and Tom Seaver. His manager, Don Kelly, backs his selection wholeheartedly. But here’s the twist: Skenes is slated to pitch Sunday — just two days before the All-Star Game — and the Pirates aren’t changing his rotation, meaning he likely won’t play. In fact, he’s even advocating for teammate Braxton Ashcraft to get the nod if he can’t make it. The 96th All-Star Game is set for July 14 in Philly — and we’ll have to wait and see who ends up on the roster and if any last-minute replacements are made.

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