Seemingly since the moment the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Paul Skenes, the right-hander's long-term outlook has been in question in the national spotlight.
That was especially true in the months leading up to the trade deadline this year. With Skenes putting up historically great numbers, the Pirates’ offense sputtered during his outings. He somehow had a losing record. And it led national pundits, fans, even rival executives to wonder how long it would be until the Pirates entertained offers for Skenes.
For the Pirates, however, their stance was clear: they were not trading Skenes. They were not even willing to listen to offers for him. He was their only untouchable at the deadline, and their position never wavered.
And that stance is not going to change this offseason. Skenes is staying in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates are not trading Paul Skenes
For starters, Skenes is a generational talent. The 23-year-old has Hall of Fame potential and, should he stay healthy, appears primed to get there. He has a 1.98 ERA and 195 strikeouts in 29 starts this season. Last season, he posted a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts. So for his career, he has a 1.97 ERA in 52 starts.
Absurd. Pitchers like Skenes don’t just grow on trees. When you have a player like that, you keep him. You don’t trade him.
Skenes also is a player that the Pirates can build around. A long-term foundation of Skenes and Bubba Chandler in the rotation with Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz and others is a formidable group. If the Pirates invest in a bat this offseason, something I expect them to seriously explore, then that roster becomes that much more potent.
Besides, look at how much better the Pirates have been under Don Kelly as manager. They’re now 64-77, winning seven of their last 10 games. They are 42-30 at home(!) but a mediocre 22-47 on the road. They have work to do, obviously. But there are signs of life in Pittsburgh and evidence that perhaps this team finally is starting to turn the corner.
There are always the questions surrounding how much owner Bob Nutting will invest in the roster. He’s as penny-pinching as any owner in baseball and is the primary reason why the Pirates are even having to deal with the Skenes rumors in the first place. The real question surrounding Skenes should be where he ends up in free agency – it’s unimaginable that Nutting comes up with the funds necessary to retain the right-hander at that point – but that won’t be until after the 2029 season.
So yes, the rumors will surely persist in the offseason. But Skenes isn’t going anywhere. He’s staying in Pittsburgh in 2026.