Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed starting pitcher Paul Skenes is already one of the best players in baseball and one of the most valuable players in

Pirates trade rumors are heating up as starting pitcher Mitch Keller emerges as a key target ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

With the All-Star game taking place Tuesday night, it’s the perfect time to break down the NL CY Young race between the 23-year-old Paul Skenes versus 35-year-old Zack Wheeler and why one player is the better bet than the other. Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Who will win the title instead, though, is difficult to predict. No other NL hitter held a .300 batting average at the All-Star break. Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman and St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan were tied for second in the league in average with a .297 mark.

Every major leaguer has a moment when he realizes that playing in the pros is different than high school, college and the minor leagues.

Skenes has been incredible once again in 2025 and started the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season on Tuesday at Truist Park. He became the first pitcher in MLB history to start the event in each of his first two seasons, a testament to his early-career excellence.

The Pirates are not expected to skip any of Skenes ' starts in the second half but will likely have him throw a few more "low-volume outings" as a means to manage his workload, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Pittsburgh Pirates player Paul Skenes made headlines not only for his performance in the MLB All-Star Game, but also for a gesture that some found romantic and others simply unnece