ARLINGTON, Texas – Gunnar Henderson . Juan Soto. Aaron Judge .
Paul Skenes has never seen a lineup like this – but perhaps those sluggers have never seen a pitcher quite like Skenes.
It will happen Tuesday night at Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, when Skenes – barely a year removed from getting drafted first overall out of LSU – starts for the National League against a loaded American League lineup.
The AL and NL unveiled their lineups Monday at Globe Life Field, with Baltimore Orioles right-hander Corbin Burnes anointed to oppose Skenes.
The 6-foot-6 Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander could pit his 100-mph fastball against the 2022 MVP in Judge – leading the majors in OPS (1.112), homers (34) and RBI (85) – who is hitting cleanup on Tuesday. Steven Kwan will bat leadoff for the AL, followed by Henderson (28 HR and a .947 OPS). And then there’s Soto, second to Judge in the AL with a .984 OPS, batting third ahead of his Yankee teammate.
They’ll battle a pitcher who has twice taken a no-hitter into at least the sixth inning , joining Nolan Ryan as the only hurlers to pair that feat with an 11-strikeout effort in one season.
NL manager Torey Lovullo broke the news to Skenes by calling into a TV interview on Friday, an unusual move with the starter usually officially announced at the news conference the day before the game.
"It became something I needed to tell the world," Lovullo said Monday.
Skenes has 89 strikeouts in 66 ⅓ innings, though the 22-year-old will likely only see one inning.
"The goal was to be in the major leagues and hopefully a big league starter by now," Skenes said. "I didn't necessarily think I would be here."
For the AL, Burnes, 29, is 9-4 with a 2.43 ERA in 19 starts after joining the Orioles in an offseason trade. The 2021 NL Cy Young winner has 110 strikeouts in 118 ⅔ innings.
The All-Star Game (7:30 ET, Fox) returns to Arlington for the first time since 1995, when another rookie – Japanese star Hideo Nomo – started for the NL after a captivating first half. That field – now called Choctaw Stadium – can still be seen through the windows of Globe Life Field.
All-Star Game starting lineups
National League
Starting pitcher : Paul Skenes, Pirates
- 2B Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks
- DH Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
- SS Trea Turner, Phillies
- 1B Bryce Harper, Phillies
- C William Contreras, Brewers
- RF Christian Yelich, Brewers
- 3B Alec Bohm, Phillies
- CF Tesocar Hernandez, Dodgers
- LF Jurickson Profar, Padres
American League
Starting pitcher : Corbin Burnes, Orioles
- LF Steven Kwan, Guardians
- SS Gunnar Henderson, Orioles
- RF Juan Soto, Yankees
- CF Aaron Judge, Yankees
- DH Yordan Alvarez, Astros
- 3B Jose Ramirez, Guardians
- 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
- C Adley Rutschman, Orioles
- 2B Marcus Semien, Rangers
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 MLB All-Star Game lineups: Starting pitchers revealed for Midsummer Classic
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