Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes has lived up to seemingly every challenge during his stellar rookie year, and Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game, a 5-3 loss for the National League, was no different.
And the Baseball Hall of Fame was watching.
Skenes, the sixth-youngest pitcher to earn the starting nod in the Midsummer Classic at 22 years old, proceeded to work his way through a scoreless first inning against MLB's leader in batting average in Steven Kwan, 2023 American League Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson, four-time Silver Slugger Juan Soto and '22 American League MVP Aaron Judge, the league leader in home runs.
Skenes allowed just a walk to Soto, needing only 16 pitches to dispatch the AL in the first frame. Then, the Baseball Hall of Fame came calling for Skenes's hat.
From No. 1 pick to #AllStarGame starter, it's been quite the year for @Paul_Skenes.
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) July 17, 2024
His @Pirates cap from a scoreless first inning is headed to the Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/JgCl18LztY
In addition to Skenes's cap, the Hall also came calling for the cap worn by Chicago Cubs rookie Shota Imanaga, who joined some rare company of Japanese-born pitchers to make their debuts in the MLB All-Star Game.
Shota Imanaga joined rare company as the Japanese-born pitcher made his #AllStarGame debut. His @Cubs cap is now on its way to Cooperstown. pic.twitter.com/gSIOdeLMI5
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) July 17, 2024
Finally, the jersey worn by Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, whose two-run home run propelled the AL to a victory and earned him MVP honors for the contest, is Cooperstown-bound.
Duran Duran! The #AllStarGame MVP is donating his jersey to the Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/7cuNbX1xd1
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) July 17, 2024
With the victory, the AL has now won 10 of the last 11 All-Star Games.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Paul Skenes Got Special Hall of Fame Honor After Scoreless MLB All-Star Game Start.
