Baseball fans, but specifically Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers fans, were ecstatic about the pitching matchup we were supposed to get on Thursday afternoon. NL Cy Young frontrunner Paul Skenes was initially slated to square off with reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Instead, a rain postponement on Wednesday split up the pair of flamethrowers and the Pirates faced Skubal in Game 1 with Skenes slated for Game 2. However, Skubal reminded everyone in Pittsburgh of the unfortunate reality that Skenes is almost surely going to be gone — and the rest of the roster isn't near good enough.
Skubal, admittedly, wasn't even as dominant as fans have grown accustomed to him being in the matchup. He pitched just 5.2 innings before exiting, giving up six hits and issuing three walks. However, he still only allowed two runs and struck out six. Meanwhile, the Tigers blew the doors off of Andrew Heaney, who allowed seven earned runs over just four innings of work.
The Pirates lost, as you'd expect, 9-2.
Looking at Skubal, though, the Pirates and Tigers face a similar reality, though it's one that Detroit is likely more willing to actually face. Both aces aren't locked up long-term and could very well hit free agency. Losing either would be a devastating blow to any franchise, to be sure. However, in the case of the Tigers, not only are they perceptively more likely to pony up and pay Skubal, they also wouldn't be left with pennies if Skubal were to leave. That's not the case with Skenes and the Pirates.
Tarik Skubal reminds Pirates that Paul Skenes leaving would be devastating
Think about it: What would the roster look like in Pittsburgh without Skenes? There are recognizable names, sure, with guys like Oneil Cruz, Brian Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen. However, the Pirates are dead last in team OPS in the 2025 season and their rotation doesn't currently have the horses that fit as long-term pieces alongside Skenes either.
Bubba Chandler is coming eventually and Jared Jones should return. However, there are enough instances in modern MLB that a high-end, young pitching staff isn't enough. The Seattle Mariners are enough evidence of that alone — and that's with an offense I'd still argue is better than what the Pirates are currently operating with. Now, when you hypothetically remove Skenes from that equation, it gets dire, and quickly.
Detroit doesn't have the same issue. This offense is humming with a solid blend of veterans and young up-and-coming stars who are carrying them. The seasons that Skenes and Skubal are having is evidence enough of that. Skenes has struggled to get wins because the Pirates have consistently let him down. Skubal got an easy win on Thursday despite not being at the peak of his powers on the mound.
Is this the case for why the Pirates should trade Paul Skenes?
Because of the state of the Pirates roster right now, it's been heavily suggested by several analysts throughout the league that Pittsburgh would be better off trading Skenes. Obviously, for a young pitcher of his caliber, they could quite literally ask for the world and likely get something close to it as well. However, the flip-side of that would be how brutal it would be to trade Skenes with four-plus years of control still remaining for Pirates fans. Calling that waving the white flag doesn't even feel strong enough.
At the same time, though, the hope would be that seeing Skubal and the Tigers would be the reminder for owner Bob Nutting and general manager Ben Cherington of what could fix this predicament for the Pirates. If Pittsburgh were willing to meaningfully spend, meaningfully pursue trades, and actually build a viable roster around Skenes, an eventual departure wouldn't be quite as painful or catastrophic.
If that's not going to happen, though, perhaps trading Skenes would eventually be the best course of action. The haul could set up a foundation that Nutting isn't willing to spend on and afford Chandler or, less so, Jones the opportunity to step into the ace role.
None of this is easy and, frankly, a lot of it is self-inflicted as it stems from cheap ownership. However, the matchup with Skubal ultimately brings all of these questions about, while also showing how a team can prepare for the inevitable worst-case scenario of losing an ace. The Pirates are in the opposite boat, but maybe they don't have to be forever.