The Pittsburgh Pirates want to make one thing clear about their ace: Paul Skenes isn’t going anywhere.
Manager Don Kelly emphasized the team’s position Wednesday night, telling reporters they’re definitely not trading their phenom starter, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
“Watching Paul Skenes’ dominance reminds him of his days with the Tigers with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer,” Nightengale posted about Kelly’s comments.
“The Pirates emphasize they definitely are not trading Skenes.”
That should quiet the speculation, at least for now.
It’s not hard to see why trade rumors keep surfacing. Pittsburgh’s sitting at 21-36 entering Wednesday — the fourth-worst record in baseball. When you’ve got a generational talent like Skenes putting up elite numbers for a team that’s nowhere near contention, media members naturally start wondering if he’d be better served on a big market club or contender.
From a pure baseball perspective, Skenes in New York or Boston would generate more eyeballs. But that doesn’t mean it makes sense for Pittsburgh.
The 22-year-old right-hander has been everything the Pirates hoped for when they made him the No. 1 overall pick. He’s posted a 2.15 ERA this season across 12 starts, striking out batters at an elite clip through 75 1/3 innings.
His overall numbers are even more impressive. Skenes owns a 2.03 ERA with 247 strikeouts in just 208 1/3 career innings pitched.
That’s the kind of production that earned him All-Star honors and the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2024 — his first MLB season.
Yankees and Red Sox fans hoping for a blockbuster can keep dreaming, but Pittsburgh would have to be out of they’re minds to move an asset like this. Skenes turns 23 on Thursday, meaning the Pirates have years of team control ahead.
Kelly’s comparison to Verlander and Scherzer tells you everything about how the organization views their young ace. Those are franchise-defining talents, the kind you build around rather than trade away.
The way I see it, Pittsburgh’s front office understands what they have. Even with the team’s struggles this season, moving Skenes would signal they’re giving up on competing anytime soon. That’s not the message they want to send to fans or the clubhouse.
