Pirates GM Confirms No Trade Plans for Ace Paul Skenes Amid Struggles

Despite the Pittsburgh Pirates' poor start to the season and struggles with a weak offense, the team is firmly committed to keeping their ace pitcher, Paul Skenes. General Manager Ben Cherington and multiple insiders, including MLB veteran executives and reporters, have stated unequivocally that trading Skenes is off the table, emphasizing his value as a young, affordable, and elite talent with several years of team control remaining. Skenes, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year and potential Cy Young candidate, has performed exceptionally well even as the Pirates falter, making him a cornerstone for the team's rebuilding efforts. Trade speculation has been widespread due to the Pirates' last-place standing, but the consensus is that Pittsburgh would require an extraordinarily high return to consider trading him, which is unlikely given his caliber and potential. Analysts suggest that rather than trading Skenes, the Pirates should focus on improving their offense and payroll to better support their young pitching talent, with promising prospects like Bubba Chandler also nearing the majors. Overall, the Pirates see Skenes as key to their future success and are not interested in trading him despite the current season's difficulties.