PITTSBURGH — He’s the next great thing. Maybe.
The No. 1 pick in last year’s MLB draft, right-hander Paul Skenes is already four starts deep into his major-league career, trailing all the hype that comes with being the top overall pick – and throwing 100 mph.
The Dodgers will get their first look at Skenes on Wednesday when the former El Toro High standout is scheduled to start for the Pittsburgh Pirates against them at PNC Park.
“I remember when I debuted and I got the opportunity to experience the same thing with (Stephen) Strasburg,” Dodgers veteran Miguel Rojas said, drawing the most direct comparison – Strasburg was also the well-hyped first pick overall in 2009 and was in the big leagues a year later.
“It’s kind of the same hype, getting to see how they look like and how they match up against a team like ours. … Going out there with the freedom of – he doesn’t know me, we don’t know him, let’s battle. That’s always fun on those days. There’s definitely some anticipation.”
The 22-year-old Skenes, who helped lead LSU to a national title last June, is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 30 strikeouts in his first 22 innings as a big-leaguer, his fastball (averaging 99.3 mph) and combination split finger-sinking fastball appearing frequently in highlight packages.
Rojas has noticed.
“It’s really hard not to because we’re on social media, we’re watching TV and MLB Network and stuff,” he said. “They’re doing a pretty good job of hyping him up because he’s going to be one of the faces of the game going forward.”
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman isn’t a fan of the hype – but he understands it.
“First overall pick and all that – he deserves all the hype,” Freeman said. “He’s got a great arm, great stuff. It’s always fun facing guys like that.
“I don’t put anything into the hype. That’s just everyone else building him up. I’m sure he doesn’t like the hype. I’m sure he just wants to go out there and pitch and not worry about what everyone’s hyping him up to be. I wish people wouldn’t hype him. Just let him go out and be Paul Skenes. Just let him have a great career.”
Freeman said he will wait until Wednesday’s pre-game meetings to learn about Skenes. But he knows the outline already.
“It’s 100 (mph) with a 95 (mph) splitter,” he said. “That’s not going to be fun whether it’s the first time (facing him) or the 100th time.”
Gavin Lux sat at his locker Tuesday afternoon watching video on his tablet of Skenes and Tuesday’s starter, another hard-throwing rookie right-hander, Jared Jones.
“He throws hard. He’s got good stuff. I don’t know much more about him than that, to be honest with you,” said Lux, adding that he doesn’t watch much college baseball so he didn’t see Skenes during his time at LSU.
“Me, personally … I get more excited facing the Justin Verlanders and Max Scherzers – guys I kind of watched growing up and guys that are still doing it more than the other way around. I know he’s got good stuff so I’m excited to compete against him and see what it’s like. But I’m more on the opposite end of the spectrum, to be honest with you.”
Jones didn’t go the college route. He was a second-round pick out of La Mirada High in 2020. But like Skenes, he made his major-league debut this year, giving the Pirates two 22-year-olds in their starting rotation.
“It’s good for some. Not good for most,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of making it to the majors at such a young age. “The development innings pitched or at-bats taken in the minors is a big deal. I think now, more than ever, guys are just learning at this level, which is kind of a byproduct of what’s happening in baseball.”
CLOSING TIME
Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, entered guilty pleas on Tuesday in Santa Ana as part of a plea agreement in the scandal involving his gambling addiction and theft of millions of dollars from Ohtani. Ohtani released a statement saying in part that the news had brought “important closure” for him and his family.
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Roberts said the team has moved on from that situation even before this.
“Honestly, we haven’t been following it,” he said of Tuesday’s news. “So I hope it’s closure. That’d be great if it’s closure. We’ve all been ready to move on.”
Roberts again praised Ohtani for his ability to perform on the field regardless of the off-field drama of the situation with Mizuhara.
“He’s been great,” Roberts said. “Obviously, things could have been a distraction. But for Shohei, it’s been nothing but baseball and being able to kind of compartmentalize all that stuff. He’s done a fantastic job.”
UP NEXT
Dodgers (LHP James Paxton, 5-0, 3.29 ERA) at Pirates (RHP Paul Skenes, 2-0, 2.45 ERA), Wednesday, 3;40 p.m., SportsNet LA, MLB Network, 570 AM
