Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes are starting the 2025 MLB All-Star Game! (Full interview!)
In the history of the game, there’s only been one player that started all-star games in back-to-back seasons of his first two big league seasons, and it’s Paul Skins. When you think about that, or when you hear those numbers and that stat, and you’re the only guy that’s done it, what what comes to mind, Paul? Um, yeah. Yeah, I mean it’s a it’s a huge honor. Uh huge opportunity to be able to be in an all-star game for one and and to start um to start the All-Star game is is, you know, unbelievable. So, um glad I can, you know, stick with my normal routine and and go out there and pitch. It’s it’s going to be fun. I think for me with TK, you are such a showman on the mound. Like you really take it all in that start at home against the Guardians shoving eating up the fans. Like where where does that come from? Like I was Listen, I was never the player you guys were, but I I put my head down and I tried to grind through the game. You seem to take the moments in and I I think, you know, I respect that. Will you be able to take tomorrow in? Yeah, I think so. I think um you know for me I don’t want to take anything in this game for granted. You know it kind of happened after I got hurt in 22 and and the big leagues get taken away from you a little bit. Yeah. Um I wanted to make sure I appreciate every other moment that happens in my career and I got a fly on me. Uh but yeah, I think that you know this game is is so beautiful and in in the grand scheme of things, your career is going to be short in terms of how long you live. So, I want to be able to enjoy however many years I get to play the game and and enjoy all the support, you know, that we have from our fan base as well. Do you guys feel if you execute your pitches anybody like I know that the question I would ask the same thing like judge you’re going to face Otani. If you execute, you feel like they’re out, right? Yeah, I mean I I definitely feel that way until they, you know, clip you. They are It is the All-Star game. They are big league hitters. Uh, usually it doesn’t happen, but you know, occasionally it happens where you, you know, dot a pitch and they hit it over the fence. So, what can you do, TK? I mean, what what do you think? Yeah, I think I mean, I think I’m the same way when, when I execute pitches and, um, I like my odds. You know, I got eight guys behind me, too. So, uh, but at the same time, if you execute a pitch and a guy clips it, especially in this venue with the game’s best. Yeah. Um, you tip your cap because I mean, they’re obvious they get paid a lot of money to do what they do. Is there anyone you’re looking forward to meeting in a player that’s going to be on the National League team that maybe wasn’t last year or for you an American League guy? I know Clayton Kershaw being being here on the Legends pick. Yeah. I mean, cuz talking to you with the USA stuff, you’re like, you want to be surrounded by greatness. Pick their brains. Yeah. I mean, I I was in the clubhouse briefly before this. Uh got to meet Kershaw for the first time. haven’t, you know, really had any substantive time with him. But, um, looking forward to talking to him and picking his brain and and, you know, in particular, but, you know, everybody’s here for a reason and they’re going to hopefully have have something that can help me. Um, and, uh, I’d like to think that I can do the same for them. So, just looking forward to talking with everybody. Is it a lot of talk and shop, TK, with these kind of events or when you have a chance to to see these guys throughout the course of a season? is how much shop is being discussed between pitchers. I think it’s cool to establish relationships, you know, in this thing. So that way the next time you see them, you know, when you’re at their park or they’re at yours, you can have a little bit, you know, more in-depth conversation. So, um, cuz this stuff is it’s like a whirlwind of of stuff. Guys are in and out, pictures, doing all that stuff. But when you catch a guy at the yard, you know, you can, you know, carve out 30 minutes to talk about stuff. And, um, I don’t really know if I have one guy that, you know, I’m excited to to talk to on the pitching side. Um, you know, I’ll probably talk to Brent Rooker. He’s I mean, he’s got like a 1700 ops. Like, hey, dude, like, see, what do I have to do? You know, he’s in the derby. I’m I’m probably gonna offer to throw it to him, you know, like, hey, you want a fast ball or a slider or a ch? What do you want? You hit them all. So, uh, yeah, that’s uh that’s I mean, it’s fun. It’s fun to to be able to, you know, share the locker room with those guys and and stuff like that. Hey, take a step back on the first half. The Detroit Detroit Tigers are arguably the best team in baseball. Did you see that coming coming off of last year’s little run late and getting into the division series when you showed up to spring training? Were you expecting this? Yeah, I think I mean the last Did I think that we were going to have, you know, the most wins in baseball at the break? Probably not. Did I think we were going to be a really good team? Yes. Yeah. Um and and compete, you know, every night, you know, in and out. But, you know, the run we went on last year, two months, and then into the postseason, I think we proved, you know, to teams around the league and to ourselves that we’re a good baseball team and we can compete at the highest level and and, uh, confidence goes a long ways. And, you know, we were the only team to of our 26-man postseason roster, we returned all 26. And I think there’s something to be said about that in terms of just, you know, the the group and and us getting along and and knowing what to expect from each other. Paul, what did last year’s experience starting that game in Arlington? What does that do for you this year? Yeah, I mean, just familiarity with everything and obviously on the field stuff, the home run derby. Um, just being familiar with that, but also all all of this and um just knowing kind of what to expect with the whole experience cuz the All-Star game is one thing, but the, you know, get here Sunday night and it’s a it’s a whole experience. So, um, got to meet a fair amount of the guys that, you know, are on the All-Star rosters this year, uh, last year. Um, so just being able to, you know, see them again and, you know, like you guys said, pick their brains and just be around them. Uh, it’s going to be going to be a great couple days. You guys go through your normal routine pregame or is all a pomp and circumstance kind of interrupt that? Uh, I think, you know, the red carpet puts a little bit of a hindering in in what you normally do, but I mean, it’s going to take me, you know, two hours to get ready and, you know, 40 minutes before the game I’ll be out on the field and, uh, once you get out in that environment, it’s going to be a ton of fun and, uh, you enjoy it. You know, obviously it’s not the same, but it I don’t think it’ll put a, you know, it won’t do anything to, you know, my ability to go out there and play. Are you going to be able to control your emotions, temperate? I know he will be able to, but when I watch you, man, you let it get you get after it. Yeah, there’s some bad words that come out at times that I uh that probably shouldn’t, but um yeah, I don’t know how you stay so like stoic. Uh that’s impressive, but um yeah, there’ll be some emotion. You know, it’ll probably be more like laughing banter back and forth, you know, but um maybe not as, you know, firing and competing like a normal regular season game, though. Well, gentlemen, congratulations on a fantastic season thus far. More questions. I know, but they’re telling me to to go to break. So, hey, I hope you enjoy the All-Star game tomorrow. Congratulations on all the success and can’t wait to see you uh do your thing tomorrow. Yeah, appreciate it. You got it. That’s Paul Skins, Terco Scooble, the starters for tomorrow’s All-Star
@MLBNetwork interviews Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes ahead of the 2025 MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta.
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5 comments
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Paul Skenes or Jacob Misiorowski?
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Very cool! Thank you for your attention to detail! 🌺💚
Great pairing to interview together!