Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo didn’t mind coming across as rude when he called into The Dan Patrick Show. Lovullo, the National League manager at the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, was there to tell young Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes he’d be starting on Tuesday.
NL All-Star manager Torey Lovullo calls in to tell Paul Skenes he will be the NL starter for the All-Star Game@Paul_Skenes @Pirates @MLB pic.twitter.com/EeAmuuM17l
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) July 12, 2024
https://x.com/Dbacks/status/1811813265972048078
“I’m conducting an interview here, what’s going on?” Patrick said to Lovullo on Friday morning, after a producer interrupted Skenes’ interview with Patrick.
“Yeah, well look, I felt like it was my time to just butt in on a really special moment,” Lovullo said. “I can see you were having your special time. But Paul, first of all, how are you doing? I just wanted to congratulate you. I’ve chosen you to be the starter for the 2024 All-Star Game.
“So well-deserved and we’re super excited to make this announcement,” Lovullo said. “You represent so many great things that this game craves. It’s such a great story the way you’ve come on the scene, the way you’ve done it with such humbleness, it’s noticeable.”
Skenes, 22, earned the honor just 11 games into his MLB career.
He’s posted a 1.90 ERA with 89 strikeouts and 13 walks in 66.1 innings behind a full pitch mix that begins with a 99-mph fastball.
Lovullo on Thursday night indicated he was leaning toward Skenes among a deserving crop of candidates because of the interest the Pirates starter has drawn to MLB.
“I’m very aware of who the players are and who’s very deserving of it,” Lovullo told reporters after a Diamondbacks win against the Braves. “That’s what makes it so challenging because I think they’re all deserving of it.
“In particular, and I know this is going to go out as fast as lighting, Paul Skenes,” Lovullo said. “He’s come on very quickly. He’s been an unbelievable addition to Major League Baseball, and he’s created a lot of interest in Major League Baseball, and I’m going to be situationally aware of that when I’m making this decision.”
Lovullo told MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM just how much time and how many conversations with others he had before making the pick.
“When you’re trying to spread the MLB brand globally, this was a no-brainer.”
Paul Skenes will start the All-Star Game for the National League.
Torey Lovullo explains how he made the decision to start Skenes:@Pirates | #Pirates | #LetsGoBucs
🔗 https://t.co/6YbqEWG3tX pic.twitter.com/3rCS6h1IOH
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) July 12, 2024
