ATLANTA, GA - MAY 25: San Diego Padres catcher Martín Maldonado (15) during the MLB game between the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves on May 25, 2025, at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Paul Skenes reveals ‘impressive’ reaction to Dodgers All-Star Clayton Kershaw
Pirates sensation Paul Skenes loved sharing his 2025 MLB All-Star experience with Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is doing things nobody has ever seen before, but while fans enjoy his greatness, it is important to remember how uncommonly excellent Clayton Kershaw has been for most of his 18-year MLB career. The Los Angeles Dodgers legend has compiled numbers that are not supposed to be achievable in the modern era, all the while ingratiating himself to fans with his professionalism and love for the game. Skenes understands what this man means to baseball.
After tossing a scoreless and historic first inning in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night, the 23-year-old starting pitcher expressed his gratitude for getting to share this experience with one of the best left-handed hurlers of all-time.
“He’s such a class act,” Skenes said of Kershaw, per the Dodger Blue X account, after the National League defeated the American League in the first-ever swing-off tiebreaker. “It’s just so impressive, obviously what he’s done in the game, but the human that he is {as well}. We were in the waiting room before the red carpet today, and he had all his kids. Watching him be a dad, it was just cool. It was a cool experience for me.”
Being a California native, Skenes’ admiration for Kershaw surely runs even deeper. Yes, he was a big Los Angeles Angels fan, but growing up in Orange County, the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year knows the impact the three-time Cy Young Award winner has had on the state. Now, he is in the same clubhouse with him in an MLB All-Star Game.
