"How my body moves, I can do it all the time" - MLB Rookie All-Star Paul Skenes shows off grip on his trademark "Splinker" pitch
Although inevitable, nobody expected the rise of Paul Skenes to be so rapid and monumental. On Tuesday, the 22 year-old rookie ace became the first member of the Pittsburgh Pirates to start an All-Star game since 1975.
Although Skenes only saw one inning of action that included a walk and no hits, the rookie sensation was the star of the show. In particular, his pitch, the "splinker" gained much interest. In the run-up to his start, pitching journalist Rob Friedman caught up with the 2023 first overall pick to delve deeper into his trademark pitch.
"Paul Skenes shows off his Splinker Grip. @FanDuel" - Rob Friedman
In the clip, Paul Skenes highlights how he adjusted his grip on a traditional sinker pitch to invent the splinker. The Pittsburgh Pirates ace explained how relying on his index finger instead of his middle finger changed the delivery, and went on to claim that the delivery is just a result of "how my body moves, I can do it all the time."
The first rookie to start an All-Star Game since Hideo Nomo did so for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995, Skenes is the most popular player in the game right now. Since making his MLB debut on May 18, the 6-foot-6 flamethrower has gone 6-0, pitching to a 1.90 ERA through 11 starts on the mound this season.
"Paul Skenes warmup routine is a unique as his assortment of pitches" - Bob Pompeani
The movement coupled with velocity is what makes Skenes' splinker so successful. The pitch regularly touches the mid-90s and comes with considerable breaking movement. Paul Skenes' fastballs also regularly exceed 100 miles per hour upon delivery.
Paul Skenes takes his place among the best in MLB
While a walk rendered to Juan Soto in the first spoiled a perfect inning from Skenes, the fact that he made it to the All-Star Game as a starter after just two months of MLB service is beyond incredible. After the game, Paul Skenes reflected on the experience, telling ESPN:
"The coolest part about it is they're so accepting and welcomed me with open arms into the clubhouse, and they're super supportive, watching my start, it was just really cool. Definitely feel like I'm one of them."
Still at the very beginning of what will likely be a long career, more MLB players will learn firsthand all about Skenes' famed splinker sooner or later.