I’ve been one of the biggest defenders of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the reality is the team has no hope with Bob Nutting as its owner.
The lack of resources, and a payroll under $100 million, should not be possible in the year 2025. Especially with a pitching staff that features Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller. Jared Jones, another long-term building block, is dealing with an elbow injury, while top prospect Bubba Chandler is expected to debut soon and add to the Pirates’ raft of pitching talent.
But really, with Nutting owning the team, do the Pirates have a chance of being a World Series contender even with Skenes? Very likely not. And the best way for Pittsburgh to actually have a chance at doing that is by trading their ace.
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Pirates might have to face a hard truth about Paul Skenes
No, I can't believe I just said that. But look at the Pirates’ current situation. They’re 15-32, in last place in the National League Central by 13 games, and have already fired manager Derek Shelton. They have one of the worst offenses in baseball, and despite Skenes and other young pitchers being on cheap contracts, the front office and Nutting decided not to spend this offseason.
Why, exactly, would Skenes want to sign an extension in Pittsburgh? Would the Pirates even have enough money to entice Skenes to stick around? Knowing how Nutting operates, the answer is no.
Skenes is one of the most physically gifted players in baseball, a generational talent, and has a 2.44 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 62.2 innings pitched so far this season. Trading Skenes with four-plus years of team control left could jumpstart a Pirates rebuild and net the equivalent of the Herschel Walker trade — a blockbuster move that sent a significant amount of draft picks, including three first-round picks, and five players to the Dallas Cowboys for the star running back.
If Skenes ever were to become available — and it’s unclear if the Pirates would ever entertain such a thought — the interest would be massive. Not only is he a dominant ace, a 22-year-old megastar, he’s marketable. He’s not as marketable as Shohei Ohtani, of course, but it’s easy to think of how teams could make money off Skenes in a similar way to what the Los Angeles Dodgers do with Ohtani.
And no, I don’t anticipate the Pirates entertaining a Skenes trade at this year’s deadline. It’s far too early for that, and the organization – especially general manager Ben Cherington – will do everything possible to win now in order to save their jobs. Because after Shelton was fired, it’s clear that everyone is on the hot seat in Pittsburgh.
If the Pirates do move on from Cherington this offseason, Skenes also is a significant chip to pitch to general manager candidates. Even with Nutting’s extensive financial restrictions, Skenes’ presence could entice a top candidate enough to believe that he could build a winning team in Pittsburgh.
The reality, however, is that Nutting is bound to waste Skenes’ prime unless he signficantly increases his spending. It’s clear, watching the Pirates’ product this season, it’s an organization that has little hope. And if that means trading Skenes to maximize his career and jumpstart yet another Pirates rebuild, then it’s something that the organization should consider.
I don’t expect the Pirates to actually consider trading Skenes, not this year and quite possibly not even next season. But the reality is that for both Skenes and the Pirates to succeed, a trade involving Skenes sooner than later may be best for both sides.