PHOTO BY HARRISON BARDEN/PITTSBURGH PIRATES

The much-anticipated All-Star showdown against Aaron Judge lasted just one pitch and amounted only to a one-hop grounder to third, but by then two of the pitches Paul Skenes had thrown to Juan Soto had already shown America all anybody needed to see.

The first was what is fast becoming Skenes’ signature amid the array of nasty options he has at his disposal, the “Splinker,” a pitch FOX analyst and Hall-of-Fame pitcher John Smoltz described as “kinda like a split-finger sinker.”

Whatever, it’s been proving exceptionally difficult to hit.

Skenes’ historic start for the National League in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas proved to be no different.

Related: Pirates Can Begin to Dream Again Thanks to Skenes

Soto waved weakly at the initial offering, “the kind of swing that nobody draws against this generational hitter,” FOX play-by-play man Joe Davis maintained.

We’ve been seeing that all along.

The second was a slider low and away that didn’t threaten to enter the strike zone.

“That’s the one pitch that has the ability to upgrade,” Smoltz assessed. “It’s gonna be a weapon for him.

“I would think if that upgrade continues, as normal pitchers do, he is gonna be unhittable.”

Imagine the impact if that happens, as Smoltz anticipates it should.

Skenes’ first 11 Major League starts had been a revelation, identifiable by swagger, strikeouts, weak swings, weak contact and winning.

But what if he gets even better in his next 11 and beyond?

What if, as Smoltz suggested, “unhittable” is the mere mastering of Skenes’ slider away?

That might get the Pirates into the playoffs even if they don’t make a trade to upgrade their anemic offense.

The Bucs hit the All-Star break at 48-48, and in the thick of the races for the N.L. Central Division championship and a Wild Card invitation to the National League playoffs.

Their climb from a season-low six games under .500 on May 25 back into contention has included a record of 31-26 since Skenes’ debut on May 11.

Skenes is 6-0 individually and the Pirates are 8-3 collectively in games in which he pitches.

They’re also 13-6 in games in which Mitch Keller has taken the mound.

Related: Skenes Raising the Roof Along with Pirates’ Expectations

Those two are absolutely capable of leading a charge in the unofficial second half of the season.

And Jared Jones (the Pirates are definitely capable of better than 7-9 when he starts) will presumably return sometime in mid-August.

That’s the heart of a rotation that can take a team to October.

Even a team as offensively challenged as the Pirates.

Adding a significant bat prior to the July 30 trade deadline would enhance their chances significantly (the need for such a transaction is as obvious as it is unlikely given the Pirates’ determination to spend as little money as possible regardless of the circumstances).

Even a minor addition or two might nudge the Bucs over the hump.

Related: Why Is There Such High Demand for Paul Skenes Baseball Cards?

But even if they do nothing, as most observers are probably resigned to the Pirates doing (did we mention how much they hate to spend money?), they can get there from here.

The biggest issue might be finding a way to keep Skenes pitching assuming the Bucs are able to make a push for the postseason.

He’s never thrown more than 122.2 innings in a season (at LSU in 2023) and he’s at 66.1 this season (not counting his one-inning, 16-pitch All-Star dominance).

“Pittsburgh’s gonna have to find a way to get him through the second half,” Smoltz observed, before adding, “Can you imagine them in the postseason?”

“Oh man,” Davis added.

Oh, man, indeed.