Paul Skenes skips All-Star Game to fuel Pirates' playoff push

Paul Skenes is skipping the All-Star Game to keep the Pittsburgh Pirates' playoff hopes alive.

On Sunday, the Pirates ace shut down the Milwaukee Brewers to complete a three-game sweep and enter the break at 50-47, just two games behind the final National League wild card spot. Instead of pitching in Philadelphia on 18 July 2026, Skenes will rest and prep for the second half with teammate Braxton Ashcraft, who also won’t toe the rubber in the Midsummer Classic.

What happened?

Skenes finished the first half at 8-8, 3.57 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 130 strikeouts over 108 1/3 innings. His outing against Milwaukee capped a six-game win streak and left Pittsburgh two games back of the wild card with 65 games left. The Pirates have leaned hard on their rotation all season, and protecting Skenes’ workload matters more than another exhibition appearance.

Why it matters for Paul Skenes

For Skenes, the call reflects a shift from personal honors to team success. After a decade without October baseball, the Pirates are chasing their first postseason berth since 2015. “All-Star Game is cool,” Skenes said. “But we’re gonna do some cool stuff in the regular season this year. Hopefully that means a little more.” His stance mirrors Pittsburgh’s no-nonsense push to end the drought.

What comes next?

Skenes and Ashcraft will rejoin the rotation when the second half starts on 19 July. Pittsburgh’s next six games are at St. Louis and home against Cincinnati, two teams currently in the wild-card mix. If the Pirates keep rolling, Skenes could still add hardware later in the summer-just not in Philadelphia.

Ashcraft, 25, is 9-3 with a 3.49 ERA and 128 strikeouts over 113 1/3 innings. The Pirates are banking on both arms to carry them deep into September and beyond.