Paul Skenes uses controversial All-Star nod to lift up forgotten Pirates

Paul Skenes was named to the National League All-Star team for the third straight season Saturday, once again giving the Pittsburgh Pirates a presence on the mound at the Midsummer Classic. In a vacuum, that should have been the story.

Even in what qualifies as a “down” year by his absurd standards, Skenes still ranks among the National League’s best pitchers in WHIP, strikeouts and batting average against. He's still one of the sport’s most recognizable arms and the kind of pitcher nobody wants to face.

But Skenes knew exactly how the announcement sounded. He knew there were fans who would question whether his 3.62 ERA belonged on an All-Star roster. He knew his recent rough stretch had changed the conversation around him. He knew the honor came with some awkwardness, especially because he was the Pirates’ lone representative.

So instead of treating the selection like a coronation, Skenes turned the spotlight elsewhere.

“I was shocked that I was the only one, so not too happy about that,” he told reporters Saturday.

Whether you agree with Skenes’ selection or not, he deserves credit for using the moment to advocate for teammates who had legitimate All-Star cases of their own. Braxton Ashcraft has pitched like one of the best arms in the National League. Brandon Lowe has brought power and production to a Pirates offense that has been among the most dangerous in baseball. Bryan Reynolds has been one of the league’s most consistent on-base threats. Ryan O’Hearn, Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz have all had stretches worthy of recognition, even if injuries complicated their candidacies.

And Skenes wasn't merely giving his teammates empty lip service. He plans to make his scheduled start Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers, which would knock him out of pitching in the All-Star Game. He still plans to attend the festivities in Philadelphia, but if he is unavailable to pitch, Major League Baseball will need to name a Pirates replacement to the National League roster.

Skenes went so far as to name Ashcraft as the ideal candidate to replace him. Instead of guarding the stage, he actively tried to pull his teammates onto it.

Paul Skenes refuses to let Pirates teammates stay overlooked following All-Star snubs

Therein lies the frustration with the All-Star process. It's still treated like a celebration of the game, but too often it becomes a reflection of market size, name recognition and voting momentum. Fan voting might have made sense when paper ballots were filled out at ballparks, but the internet era has turned parts of the process into a popularity contest. The biggest markets have the loudest megaphones. The most recognizable names get the easiest path.

This doesn't necessarily mean Skenes is undeserving. It means the Pirates had more than one deserving player, and Skenes understood that better than anyone.

He could have accepted the honor, smiled for the cameras and moved on. Nobody would have blamed him. Instead, he made it clear that Ashcraft belonged in the conversation. He made it clear that he believed the Pirates should have had more representation and made sure that this wasn't just about him.

Skenes has spent the past few weeks trying to answer real questions about his own performance. His starts haven't looked like the dominant version Pirates fans became accustomed to seeing. His command has wavered, his results have slipped, and his place on the All-Star roster has become a debate rather than an obvious conclusion.

But leadership does not only show up when everything is going well. Sometimes it shows up when a player is willing to take a personal honor and immediately make it about the guys around him.

Skenes' All-Star selection will be debated. His recent stretch will keep being dissected. His first-half numbers will be compared to the impossible standard he set over his first two seasons. But on Saturday, Skenes got something unquestionably right.

He used his platform the way an All-Star should.

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