Pittsburgh Pirates superstar Paul Skenes has recently emerged as the subject of trade rumors for three obvious reasons.
Number one, he’s a generational pitching talent who turns just 23 on May 29. Number two, he’s stuck on a miserable Pirates franchise. And number three, owner Bob Nutting is notoriously cheap and sure to never pay Skenes the record-setting contract he deserves.
Skenes is having a ridiculous sophomore season, with an ERA of 2.44 and 62 strikeouts in 62.2 innings pitched. Opponents are batting just .190 off of Skenes, but the lack of run support has limited him to three winning decisions against five losses.
During his appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show”, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan reported that teams will inquire about Skenes’ availability at the trade deadline, but a deal is unlikely to happen this year.
“The truth is, there are teams that are going to ask about Paul Skenes at the trade deadline this year. I don’t anticipate that he’s going to be moved, but there’s a real argument to be made that the best thing for the Pittsburgh Pirates would be to move Paul Skenes when he has his most value.”
"Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates fans deserve better..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 14, 2025
What incentive does he have to extend with the Pirates right now..
The Pirates haven't shown that they are worthy of a Paul Skenes extension at this point" ~ @JeffPassan#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/eCkkgMFb7y
The Pirates haven’t qualified for the postseason since 2015. Aside from their victory in the 2013 NL Wild Card Game, Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff series since their last World Series championship in 1979.
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Their last winning season came in 2018, when the group finished 82-79. The organization’s best record since 2019 was the identical 76-86 finishes in 2023 and 2024.
Pirates Don’t Have To Rush A Paul Skenes Trade
The Pirates have Paul Skenes under contract through the 2029 season, so there’s no rush for the front office to make a trade. As Passan noted on McAfee’s show, the Pirates have several promising youngsters and prospects who could make this team competitive with Skenes in the not-so-distant future.
This is only Skenes’ second season in the pros, so the Pirates may as well try to build around him instead of rushing a trade for one of the most talented pitchers of the 21st century.
Also Read: Paul Skenes Receives Huge Backlash From MLB Fans For Comment On Pirates Manager
