The Pittsburgh Pirates just added a third Cy-Young winner to their history books, as Paul Skenes won the award unanimously in just his second Major League season. What should be a moment of celebration has turned to rumors however, as concerns have been raised on if Skenes wants to remain a Pirate.
Skenes found himself having to defend his stance on staying with the Pirates after a tweet surfaced where an anonymous teammate alleged that the right-hander wanted to be traded to the New York Yankees,
and for it to happen well before he reaches the opportunity to test free-agency after 2029.
Following his acceptance of the NL Cy-Young Award, Skenes quickly put to bed any rumors about where he wants to play moving forward.
“I don’t know where that came from,” Skenes said. “The goal is to win, and the goal is to win in Pittsburgh.”
It’s no secret that the Pirates have been in a rebuilding phase for several years now, and have not been in a position to compete for a World Series title for nearly a decade if not longer. Drawing on his experiences at the Air Force Academy, Skenes said that the Air Force Falcons had never won a conference championship, but were able to overcome that hurdle during his sophomore year. Skenes envisions wanting to do the same thing with the Pirates, noting that he wants to win in Pittsburgh and that the fans have been wanting it for a long time as well.
Despite the low expectations and outside noise, Skenes wants to be a part of a winning ball club in Pittsburgh.
“The way that fans see us outside of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh is not supposed to win,” Skenes said. “There are 29 fan bases that expect us to lose. I want to be a part of the 26 guys that change that.”
Skenes name came up in some rumors ahead of the 2025 trade deadline, with fans on the outside thinking that their favorite team could trade for Skenes if the deal was right. With this newest rumor floating around Pirates General Manager, Ben Cherington, was quick to dispel any involving his number one pitcher.
“It’s always respectful. Teams have to ask the question, right?” Cherington said. “I suspect that won’t end. But the answer has been consistent.”
Cherington went on to fully shut the door on any possibilities that Skenes is moved in the offseason.
“Paul Skenes is going to be a Pirate in 2026,” Cherington said.
The Pirates have yet to sign Skenes to a long-term contract, but he is under team control through 2029. His longterm signing may not be an area of immediate concern, but the organization has to realize that his contract is not going to get any cheaper, and the team is not going to get any better if they sit idly by this offseason.
Pittsburgh finished with a 71-91 record which put them at the bottom of the NL Central division. Skenes finished the year with a 10-10 record, a 1.97 ERA, and 216 strikeouts.
