Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes is on an early Hall-of-Fame trajectory with his career.
Through his first two seasons in the majors, Skenes’ earned run average is under two, his WHIP sits under the golden number of one, and he struck out nearly 400 batters in over 300 innings of work. His walk rate is also at an impressive two per nine innings, and his command limits the number of home runs he surrenders. The 23-year-old already won Rookie of the Year in 2024 after starting his first MLB game not even a year after being drafted. He’s on track to win the Cy Young in 2025, the first of what could be many if his trajectory stays.
The Pirates, however, haven’t invested much into building a winning team around him. The offense ranked third-worst in batting average, the worst in slugging percentage, and nearly dipped under .300 in on-base percentage. In fact, Skenes lost eight games when the team scored less than two runs, despite pitching to a 2.33 ERA in those 13 games. If they don’t improve, their ace could be on the move by choice or by the team’s wishes.
If he is moving, where could he go?
This wouldn’t be the first time the Yankees would try to trade for Skenes. Before the 2025 trade deadline, New York offered their top hitting prospects, shortstop George Lombard Jr. and outfielder Spencer Jones, to Pittsburgh, according to the New York Post. The deal was struck down, as the Pirates reportedly had no desire to trade their ace pitcher.
Expect the Yankees to try again, just like they did with Juan Soto in 2023. The difference would be that New York would have to give up far more than it did to the cost-cutting San Diego Padres at the time.
Adding Skenes to the rotation could allow Gerrit Cole a soft landing should he regress after Tommy John surgery in 2025. At the same time, it would take pressure off rookie Cam Schlittler in the rotation and solve the question of who could be their fifth starter. It could also free up more pitching prospects to be traded from the team in other deals.
It’s worth noting that Skenes isn’t a free agent until 2030, and he doesn’t hit arbitration until 2027, giving any team around five years of control. The Yankees’ tax space is already over for 2026, but the 23-year-old would be an exception to the rule. If Hal Steinbrenner were serious, he would pursue a trade until it’s done.
Expect Jones and Lombard to headline a new package again, but the team has arms they could move. Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, MLB Pipeline’s number 74 and 97 prospects, respectively, could be added to a deal. Or, if they want to save either, Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham could be used. Hess had a 3.22 ERA across high and double-A this year, while Cunningham held a .213 OBA and 1.12 WHIP across 11 starts in high-A.
Hypothetical Trade: Skenes For Jones, Lombard Jr., Rodriguez-Cruz, and Cunningham.
In any Skenes trade, the Pirates might prioritize offense over a strict picthing package. They desperately need a power hitter and guys who get on base, as only one player had an OBP above .340 in Spencer Horwitz. Oneil Cruz isn’t panning out, and Henry Davis is struggling behind the dish and at the plate. Ke’Bryan Hayes was shipped to the Cincinnati Reds in 2025, and their second-best hitter was 38-year-old Andrew McCutchen.
The Milwaukee offense is filled with MLB-ready and impact players, including Rookie of the Year finalist Caleb Durbin and a speedy outfielder in Isaac Collins. While the Los Angeles Dodgers shut the offense down in the National League Championship Series, they have a well-constructed lineup. Even Christian Yelich had a bounce-back year with 29 home runs across 150 games. It’s a risk to trade in the division, but with an offense this promising, a team might as well strike for something.
A pitching crunch is on the horizon for the Brewers, with Brandon Woodruff opting out of his contract and Freddy Peralta in his final year. Jose Quintana will be 37 next year, and Aaron Civale is too volatile of a pitcher to bring back. They have some hope in Tobias Myers and a promising staf in Logan Henderson, but the gap left by Peralta and Woodruff would be gigantic.
Skenes being traded here makes sense on paper, but it comes down to how much Milwaukee wants to sacrifice. Several of their top hitting prospects are at least a year away from a debut, but Luke Adams could be a player they might deal. Henderson would have to be included, but the backbreaker could come in the form of stealing two decent bats for the lineup.
Robert Gasser, who has dealt with injuries, could be tossed into the deal. But the way a trade will get done is by surrendering an outfielder and possibly including Jake Bauers to save their roster. Either way, the Brewers would have to bite the bullet to remain contenders here.
Hypothetical: Skenes for Henderson, Gasser, Perkins or Bauers, Collins or Sal Frelick, and Craig Yoho
Perhaps the best option for the Pirates, if they must trade Skenes, is to send him out of the National League into the American League. There might be no better place than the AL Pennant-winning Blue Jays, after their World Series run.
The rotation is aging, especially with Max Scherzer hitting 41 next year and Chris Bassitt approaching 37 and a free agent. They have a young, burgeoning ace in Trey Yesavage, but another established, youthful pitcher would do wonders for 2026 and beyond. Getting Skenes would immediately catapult them to the top of the AL East for years to come.
With their offense operating at a historic level in the postseason, and most of the team locked down, excluding Bo Bichette, they can trade some offensive capital. They might also be inclined to trade Ricky Tiedemann, their former top pitching prospect, along with a larger package. The Pirates will be looking for arms to use after Skenes is gone.
While not the best farm system in baseball, the Blue Jays have enough to win over Pittsburgh in a trade. Arjun Nimmala could go if Toronto resigns Bo Bichette, but they could pivot to their outfielder depth if that doesn’t happen. The team just missed out on a World Series win; now, they want it all.
Hypothetical: Skenes for Tiedemann, Nimmala, Yohendrick Pinango and Gage Stanifer.
A trade involving Skenes seems unlikely, given the immense value he holds to Pittsburgh. Still, teams will check in to see if he does become available, and perhaps one team wins over the Pirates. Any trade to a big-time team like the ones mentioned here could send the Baseball world into a tizzy. If Skenes does get traded, the front office only has itself to blame.
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
