MLB All Star Game Could Feature Skubal Against Skenes

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ATLANTA – The MLB All-Star Game is one month away, on July 15th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. While everyone is voting for their favorite position players, we may be on the verge of witnessing one of the best all-time pitching matchups in All-Star game history. This year’s game could feature Detroit Tigers ace starting pitcher Tarik Skubal against Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes.

The only issue standing in the way of this happening would be Skenes’ win-loss record of 4-6. However, Skenes has an earned run average (ERA) of 1.78 along with 97 strikeouts. In the interest of promoting a vibrant All-Star game, it behooves MLB to dismiss Skenes’ 2025 win-loss record as nothing more than the Pirates’ failure as a team to produce enough runs when Skenes starts. Skenes notably uses multiple pitch types such as a four-seam fastball, sinker, curveball, splitter (split fastball), slider, changeup, and sweeper. Seven pitch types are very rare, virtually unheard of. His ability to keep hitters off balance like that is something the All-Star game direly needs in a game that tends to feature too much offense and not enough old-school pitching and defense. It would be a nice change of pace.

Skubal is 7-2 with a 1.99 earned run average. He uses the four-seam fastball, slider, changeup, and curveball. While he doesn’t have the tool kit that Skenes possesses, it’s enough to keep hitters off balance. Skubal is the catalyst for the suddenly rising Tigers. Detroit has the best record in the MLB at 46-27, a .630 winning percentage. Skubal was also the catalyst last season when Detroit surpassed Kansas City in the American League Central Division. It’s noteworthy to consider the Tigers’ sudden rise to prominence given the fact that they nearly defeated the Cleveland Guardians last postseason in the Divisional Series, taking the series to five games.

The matchup of Skubal against Skenes would just about guarantee a pitching duel that will make the hitters earn every single at-bat. Any other pitching matchup would not have the same level of intensity as these two juggernauts. These two ace pitchers start for each team to not only make the hitters earn every run but also increase the television ratings again. MLB is starting to improve on this, and there is every reason to keep the momentum going. Skubal against Skenes would keep the fans engaged during the crucial middle of the season.