ESPN analyst Harry Douglas criticized the Pittsburgh Pirates for denying Paul Skenes the chance to pitch a historic no-hitter.
The 22-year-old MLB rookie was pulled from Thursday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers after pitching seven perfect innings.
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Skenes threw 99 pitches in just his 11th major league game, striking out 65 times.
He was on his way to a potential story before Colin Holderman was called up from the bullpen, surrendering a leadoff single in the 8th.
Douglas appeared on Friday’s First Take alongside fellow analyst Courtney Cronin and host Molly Qerim to discuss the decision.
The former NFL star admitted he wanted Skenes to stay in the game for “selfish reasons.”
“This is another reason why MLB will never be on the same scale as the NBA or NFL,” Douglas said.
“There are so many fans who wanted to see the greatness of Paul Skenes.”
Cronin asked Douglas if he was advocating “eliminating pitch counts.”
“These coaches need to start training these pitchers to go far,” he explained.
“I am [saying this] Selfishly, being a baseball fan, I would love for this man who just turned 22 to throw a no-hitter and finish the game.”
“Give the people what they want,” Qerim added.
The Pirates’ last no-hitter occurred in July 1997, by ESPN.
Skenes was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and has now struck out 89 batters in 66 innings.
Despite having played in just 11 games, fans are already clamoring for the rookie to be the NL’s starting pitcher in the next All-Star Game.
“So Paul Skenes throws a no-hitter in 7 innings and gets yanked just before 100 pitches? The @Pirates poverty franchise…could have witnessed history,” one fan wrote on X.
“The only correct answer to who should start the National League All-Star Game is Paul Skenes,” said another.
DUNNE AND SKENES’ SUMMER OF LOVE
Olivia Dunne and Paul Skenes managed to keep their relationship a secret before finally going public last summer.
The two met at LSU, but it’s unclear when they started dating.
Rumors of a romance began when Dunne watched LSU win the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, last summer.
And Dunne posted selfies from Fort Myers, Fla., where Skenes was playing.
He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates and began his professional career playing in the minor leagues in the Sunshine State.
The final clue came when Dunne posed in a Pirates cap before the pair finally went public.
“The worst thing about modern baseball is the fixation on striking out pitchers to “protect” them. The Paul Skenes trade is making history and he is pulled in the 8th inning.
“@HDouglas83 looking good in first take. Knowledge of all three major sports. Enjoying his takes,” commented a fourth.
First Take returned to our screens on Thursday after a three-day absence.
Qerim hosted the show for the first time since June 27, after taking a two-week vacation.
Top analysts Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe remain absent as they enjoy a well-deserved summer vacation.
Both are expected to return on Monday as First Take moves from ESPN 2 to its usual channel on ESPN.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
