The Pittsburgh Pirates will not trade Paul Skenes by Thursday's 6pm ET deadline, nor did they ever have any intention of dealing him. Skenes is signed through the 2030 season and is already arguably the best pitcher in baseball. He's also just 23 years old. Yet, despite all the evidence to the contrary, pundits around the game continue to mention Skenes' name, even off-handedly, when referring to possible deals.
About a month ago, ESPN suggested a series of trade packages that could be enough to land Skenes. The Detroit Tigers ultimately won out in this scenario. The Pirates have gone on the record to say they will not trade Skenes at the deadline, and likely not in the foreseeable future.
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Why the Pittsburgh Pirates won't trade Paul Skenes
They have little reason to, as he is the primary reason Pirates fans even show up to the ballpark at this point in the season. The team really is that dreadful.
"Paul Skenes is not getting traded," Heryman wrote back in late May, citing his a source with the Pirates. "'No chance, no way, no how,' is the way I heard it. While there's a bit of logic to such a scenario, superstars just aren't traded by anyone with 1 year service time and the Pirates remain determined to build around Skenes."
Great! Then we can finally put this all to bed, right? Not so fast.
Paul Skenes trade talk is a New York media creation
Just over two months later, Heyman found a way to mention Skenes in a tweet about Yankees prospect Spencer Jones because, ya know, engagement.
"Teams with good/great pieces consistently ask the Yankees about top OF prospect Spencer Jones . The Yankees are consistent on this too: They will only trade Jones (and others in package) for Paul Skenes, who’s not available and not going anywhere," Heyman wrote on deadline day.
We certainly understand what Heyman is trying to do here. The insider merely wants to make a point about the Yankees trade discussions, as teams selling off assets are asking for Jones in return. The Yankees are unwilling to entertain such offers for almost anyone...except Skenes. Yet, why was including Skenes necessary at all?
Heyman is great at his job. He also works primarily for the New York Post, and covers the Yankees and Mets. Like most big-market reporters, he would welcome a Skenes trade to the big apple. Frankly, most baseball pundits would if only because they'd get to watch Skenes pitch more often.
The New York bias among the baseball media elite is real. Skenes pitches in Pittsburgh, a smaller market that is often victimized by its owner's unwillingness to spend and the lack of a salary floor. That doesn't mean we should openly root for Skenes in pinstripes, a move that would only hurt the parity this great game relies on.