Damar Hamlin Praises Pirates Star Pitcher

The Pirates would also get the win in the end, as catcher Henry Davis hit the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning, with Hamlin cheering on the Pirates on the television broadcast.

Hamlin hails from McKees Rocks, Pa. and played for Pittsburgh Central Catholic, where he helped the team to two WPIAL Class 4A Titles in 2013 and 2015 and a PIAA Class 4A Title in 2015.

He eventually committed to Pitt as a four-star in the Class of 2016 and made 275 tackles, 185 solo, 10 tackles for loss, six interceptions, 21 pass breakups and a fumble recovery in his five seasons at Pitt from 2016-20.

Hamlin received an Honorable Mention All-ACC recognition in 2018, playing in all 14 games and helping Pitt win the ACC Coastal Division and make the ACC Championship Game, and earned Second Team All-ACC honors in 2020.

Hamlin stepped up for the Bills in 2022, with safety Micah Hyde out for most of the season. He recorded 91 tackles (63 solo), six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble in 15 games, starting every game in the secondary from Week 3 onward.

In a Week 17 Monday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals on the road, Hamlin collapsed to the field after suffering a cardiac arrest. He made a comeback from an almost near death experience on the field and came back in 2023, playing a much smaller role.

He started 14 games in the regular season for the Buffalo Bills in 2024, ranking third on the team with 89 combined tackles and second with 62 tackles. He also started in the 31-7 win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Wild Card Round, making four tackles (one solo).

Hamlin also made two interceptions, with the first of his career coming in the 47-10 home win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3 and the other coming in the 34-10 home win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 7.

He also forced a strip sack on Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in the AFC Divisional Round, a 27-25 win for the hosts.

Skenes starred at LSU in 2023, after transferring from Air Force. He had a 13-2 record in 19 starts, 1.69 ERA in 122.2 innings pitched, gave up just 23 earned runs and seven earned runs, while making 209 strikeouts to just 20 walks, leading the program to a National Title that season.

He would enter the 2023 MLB Draft, where the Pirates took him with the No. 1 overall pick. He also signed with the franchise on a $9.2 million signing bonus, the highest ever given to a player.

Skenes dominated in the minor leagues and soon made it up to the majors on May 11 of the 2024 season.

He started 23 games, had a 1.96 ERA in 133.0 innings pitched, allowed just 29 earned runs, 94 hits, six home runs and 32 walks, while making 170 strikeouts and holding opposing hitting to a .198 batting average. He also had a 11.50 K/9 and a WHIP of 0.95.

Skenes was also the first member of the Pirates to start for the National League in the All-Star Game since Jerry Reuss did it in 1975, 49 years ago. He was also just the fifth rookie to start an All-Star game, with Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers doing so in 1995, en route to winning NL Rookie of the Year.

He made the All-MLB First Team for his performance in 2024, won NL Rookie of the Year and was a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award.

Skenes has kept up that great play this season, despite a 4-7 record, with the Pirates scoring four runs or less in 14 of his 18 starts, with three of them shutouts.

He ranks amongst the best pitchers in baseball, including second in ERA (2.03) and opposing batting average (.182), fourth in innings pitched (111.0), sixth in WHIP (0.92) and ninth in strikeouts (115).