Who Will Represent Pirates at 2024 All-Star Game?

Unsurprisingly, nobody on the Pittsburgh Pirates was named a National League starter for the 2024 All-Star Game.

Still, the Pirates will have at least one and perhaps multiple representatives in Arlington, Texas, at the All-Star Game later this month.

Last year, the Pirates had two players named to the National League All-Star team. David Bednar made his second-straight appearance and Mitch Keller earned the honor for the first time in this career.

Looking at 2024, it looks like the Pirates have three realistic possibilities to participate in the Midsummer Classic this season.

RHP Mitch Keller

Once again, Keller is looking like an All-Star caliber starting pitcher.

Though he struggled in his latest start for the Pirates, the right-hander is having an excellent season in his first year since signing a long-term extension with Pittsburgh.

Through his first 17 starts of the season, Keller is 9-5 with a respectable 3.48 ERA and threw a complete game against the Angels in early May. He’s totaled 103.1 innings, has walked 27 and struck out 96.

Looking at the National League, Keller is tied for third with nine wins. He’s logged the sixth-most innings of any starting pitcher and is one of six pitchers with a complete game.

Keller’s numbers looked a lot better before he allowed six runs in five innings agaisnt the Cardinals on Tuesday, but an argument could be made for him to once again be an All-Star.

OF Bryan Reynolds

Reynolds saw his 25-game hitting streak come to an end on the last day of June but the lengthy stretch elevated his numbers to the point where he is in the conversation.

Among National League outfielders, Reynolds is fourth in slugging (.466), tied for fourth in OPS (.804) and is seventh in both batting average (.273) and on-base percentage (.338). Additionally, Reynolds is second in home runs with 14, is tied for third with 19 doubles, tied for fourth with three triples and is sixth with 47 RBIs.

Reynolds has been far and away the Pirates’ best performing position player this season. He has played in all 86 games to start the year.

It helps, too, that outfield production is down across the Senior Circuit.

If Reynolds were to get selected, it would be his second-career All-Star appearance. He was a National League starter at Coors Field in Colorado in 2021.

RHP Paul Skenes

Skenes wasn’t called up by the Pirates until May, but it’s not outlandish to say that the rookie right-hander is already one of the best pitchers in the National League.

Last year’s top draft pick has so far lived up to every bit of the hype surrounding him. Through the first nine starts to begin his career, Skenes has a spotless 4-0 record and a dazzling 2.06 ERA. He’s only allowed 12 runs through 52.1 innings and has struck out 70 batters against 10 walks.

The only argument that could be made against Skenes is that he doesn’t have the same workload in the big leagues as others. But he’s been every bit as good if not better than the majority of other pitchers in the league since he started his career.

The fact that he’s currently one of the most notable players in baseball certainly adds to his candidacy.

Parting Thoughts

The possibility of the Pirates having three All-Stars this season seems far-fetched, but a legitimate case could be made for any of the three listed above.

Colin Holderman would have been another player I mentioned had it not been for a couple of hiccups of late. After a scoreless outing on June 22, Holderman had an immaculate 0.68 ERA. But he’s allowed four runs over his last five innings which has inflated his ERA to a still-stellar, but not quite All-Star caliber 1.71.