This Pirates-White Sox trade could just be enough to keep Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh

The Chicago White Sox came into the offseason looking to trade superstar outfielder Luis Robert Jr. and ace Garrett Crochet. Early in the winter, the White Sox landed the first blockbuster deal as they shipped Crochet to the Boston Red Sox for a loaded return of prospects. It was quite a return and should provide White Sox fans with some hope heading into 2025.

But they still have Robert on the roster. At some point, the White Sox will need to bring their asking price down or else nobody will bite on Robert.

If Chicago lowers its asking price a little bit, the Pittsburgh Pirates could enter the sweepstakes as a potential suitor for the star outfielder.

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This Pirates-White Sox trade would give Pittsburgh the offensive star it needs

The Pirates need to put a productive team together around ace Paul Skenes. They potentially have the best pitcher in the entire league under contract for the next few years.

Adding an outfielder with the ability to slug 30 home runs and steal 30 bases would be the exact kind of move that could cause Skenes to want to remain a Pirate past his rookie contract. To note, he's under team control for quite a while, but the Pirates need to have a plan in place for an extension.

This deal sees three top ten prospects in the Pirates' organization heading to Chicago for the controllable outfielder.

Johnson, 20, has slashed .239/.390/.406 in his pro career. Though he doesn't have the batting average you would like to see, his OPS is near .800 on his career and he's not even 21 years old. The infielder has true five-tool potential.

Harrington, 23, is one of the best prospects in Pittsburgh's system. He's dominated since turning pro and there's nothing to indicate this will stop anytime soon. He has multiple good pitches and solid command.

Jebb, 22, is a talented shortstop prospect, though he doesn't project as much of a power threat. He has a solid hit tool, but his inability to slug for extra bases makes him a high-floor, low-ceiling prospect.

The NL Central is open for the taking this year. The Chicago Cubs are very talented, but the Pirates could begin to close the gap with a move like this.