Pittsburgh Pirates ace pitcher Paul Skenes has been named to the National League All-Star team for the second consecutive season.

Before he took the mound on Sunday, Skenes, 23, owned the fifth-lowest single-season ERA (2.03) by a Pirates hurler before the All-Star break, behind Vernon Law (1.70 in 1965), Goose Gossage (1.75 in 1977), Bob Veale (1.90 in 1968) and Bob Friend (1.98 in 1963), according to a media release from the Pirates. Skenes' .182 batting average against was also the lowest in Pirates history before the break among those with at least 100.0 innings pitched.

The flamethrowing right-hander joins Veale in 1965 and 1966 and Rip Sewell in 1943, 1944 and 1946 as the only Pirates starting pitchers to be selected to the All-Star Game in at least two straight seasons, the media release added.

Skenes is also the first Pirates player to be selected for the All-Star Game in each of his first two Major League seasons. 

Last season, he became the first Pirates rookie pitcher in history to be named to an All-Star Game. Skenes also became one of just four Pirates rookies ever to be named an All-Star, along with Frankie Zak (1944), Jason Kendall (1996) and Tony Womack (1997).    

Entering Sunday's games, the former No. 1 overall pick had a 4-7 win-loss record to go with a 2.03 ERA, 115 strikeouts and a 0.92 WHIP across 111.0 innings pitched.

The 2025 MLB All-Star Game is scheduled to take place at Atlanta's Truist Park on Tuesday, July 15.