Pittsburgh Pirates Confirm No Trade for Ace Paul Skenes

UPDATE: The Pittsburgh Pirates have officially announced they will not trade ace right-hander Paul Skenes this offseason, putting an end to rampant speculation surrounding the young star’s future. General Manager Ben Cherington confirmed this decision during the General Managers meetings in Las Vegas on October 24, 2023, emphasizing the team’s commitment to building around Skenes.

Cherington stated that inquiries from other clubs regarding Skenes’ availability are frequent but always met with a firm response. “The question gets asked, and it’s always respectful,” he said, highlighting the ongoing interest but reiterating that the answer has remained consistent: Skenes is not on the trading block.

The urgency of this announcement stems from Skenes’ impressive performance; just two seasons into his major league career, he has established himself as arguably the best pitcher in baseball at only 23 years old. Despite leading the majors with a remarkable 1.97 ERA over 187.2 innings in 32 starts, the Pirates finished last in the National League Central for the second consecutive year with a disappointing 71-91 record.

As the franchise seeks to return to the postseason for the first time since 2015, Cherington views Skenes as a crucial building block for the future. Trading him could yield a massive return, but the Pirates are focused on enhancing their roster around him. The team struggled offensively, ranking last in the majors for runs scored and 29th in wRC+ in 2025.

Cherington has indicated that this winter, the Pirates will prioritize bolstering their offense to better support their pitching staff, which also includes promising talents such as veteran Mitch Keller and highly regarded prospect Bubba Chandler. “We believe our pitching is a strength,” Cherington stated. “But run scoring was the thing that got in our way more than anything. We’ve got to add to that.”

As the offseason progresses, all eyes will be on how the Pirates leverage their increased payroll flexibility and improve their roster to complement Skenes’ outstanding pitching. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely for any further developments from the Pirates front office as they aim to turn around their fortunes in the coming season.

Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.