Life doesn't slow down for All-Star and celebrity Paul Skenes, who remains 'the same guy'

PITTSBURGH — It's a cloudy, humid Tuesday afternoon on the North Shore. In a few hours, the Pirates will take on the St. Louis Cardinals. No fans have made their way through the gates at PNC Park. Neither team has started taking batting practice. And Paul Skenes, scheduled to start that evening, is bored.

With time to kill, the Pirates' 23-year-old superstar wanders his way onto the infield and starts making small talk with the grounds crew. Journalists witnessing the interaction snap photos from the press box, which eventually end up online.

"I like cutting grass," Skenes joked about the encounter later that evening. "I wouldn't mind doing it professionally whenever I'm done playing baseball."

The image of Skenes, along with his explanation, exploded on social media, generating millions of views and countless stories from national outlets. For most people, the moment wouldn't earn an ounce of recognition. But life is different for someone viewed to be the best pitcher in the world.

Since debuting in May 2024, Skenes has never left the national spotlight. Not long ago, he was an unknown Air Force Academy catcher, one whose life goal was to "fly planes and kill bad people." Now, he can be seen exchanging jokes with Seth Meyers, making guest picks on "College GameDay" or posing for photos with his equally famous girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, in GQ.

Yet despite all the extra attention, Skenes has remained consistent. While there are now a few extra pitches in his arsenal and his iconic mustache has become part of a full beard, the game's top arm has largely maintained who he is both on and off the field.

"I feel like he's the same guy," Pirates manager Don Kelly told the Post-Gazette. "I feel like he approaches every day the same way. He's very diligent. He's detail-oriented with his preparation, how he goes about it. I think there might have been some growth in understanding what to do between starts, learning what other teams are trying to do, seeing that type of stuff. But as a person, he's just been phenomenal."

It was around this time last year when Skenes officially became one of the faces of MLB.

On July 11, just his 11th start in the big leagues, he threw seven no-hit innings in Milwaukee, perhaps his best effort in a historic rookie campaign. A day later, news broke that he would become just the fifth rookie pitcher to start the MLB All-Star Game. Skenes himself was informed during an appearance on the "Dan Patrick Show."

Interviews became an overwhelmingly large part of Skenes' life during that time. Throughout last year's All-Star week festivities, the Pirates' right-hander fielded 37 formal "large-scale" requests from national outlets, totaling to be approximately 332 minutes (about 5 and a half hours) over the course of four hectic days. And that total didn't include an estimated 100 additional interviews between those scheduled obligations.

"By then, I was frustrated," Skenes reflected last year. "I didn't really get an All-Star break at all."

In some ways, this year will be the same. Skenes will soon embark to Atlanta for his second All-Star Game. Again, he is one of the main headliners of the event. Only this time, he is far more prepared for what is to come.

"It's normal at this point," Skenes told the Post-Gazette. " ... Being established and having my feet under me is kind of nice. It's a nice difference compared to last year."

While plenty of Pirates fans have a favorite moment from Skenes' rookie season, the man responsible for those memories is more focused on the present. Skenes takes pride in his achievements but doesn't often reminisce on previous outings.

Instead, he continues to focus on the next task at hand. For him, that is the only option.

"I don't remember how well those first 11 starts went," Skenes said when asked about his rapid rise to stardom. "Obviously they went well enough for me to go to the All-Star Game, but I'm not sure. I think it's just about learning — learning from start to start, year to year."

The biggest lesson Skenes has learned so far is the importance of sticking to his process. Although time has been allotted for him to meet his celebrity demands, baseball continues to come first.

For as many interviews Skenes has done, even more have been declined due to conflicts with training or game day preparation. While his off days might include a trip to Omaha to watch his alma mater LSU in the College World Series or a relaxing afternoon on the water with his loved ones, the next morning, he is back to the grind.

Day after day, on or off the field, Skenes does his best to enjoy the moment. But when that moment passes, it's time to move on. With one obligation after another, he remains on the go, a reality he has both accepted and embraced.

"Life is not going to slow down," Skenes said. "I think on the field, it's probably slowed down a little bit, but off the field, it hasn't. If it slows down, I'm not doing my job."

By simply doing his job, Skenes will remain on life's fast track. Every moment he's attached to will be a story — even the instances in which he's bored. Such reality is far from normal, but it's a life that Skenes is getting used to, all while remaining the same guy.