What happened: Members of the Air Force Academy parachute team met at the Philadelphia airport before performing ahead of the All-Star Game and said Pirates All-Star Paul Skenes was once a cadet with the unit. The team confirmed the connection publicly for the first time around the event.

Why it matters: Skenes is one of the sport's most prominent young arms, and the cadet history adds a new layer to his profile as he represents Pittsburgh at the Midsummer Classic. The anecdote surfaced from people who trained alongside him before his path to professional baseball.

What to watch: Skenes returns to Pittsburgh's rotation as the Pirates continue their season out of the All-Star break.