The Pittsburgh Pirates have not gotten off to a strong start this season. As a result, the Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton, and now talks have circulated about whether or not they will trade superstar pitcher Paul Skenes.
Skenes has been a national sensation since his rookie season in 2024, and a trade package for Skenes would undoubtedly be massive. The Pirates moving on from Skenes would be a tough pill for their fans to swallow, but bringing in multiple MLB-level players and prospects would help soften the blow.
However, even with all the smoke flying around with the Skenes trade rumors, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman essentially ended those talks with a big update on Wednesday.
Pirates source: Paul Skenes is not getting traded. “No chance, no way, no how,” is the way I heard it. While there’s a bit of logic to such a scenario, superstars just aren’t traded by anyone with 1 year service time and the Pirates remain determined to build around Skenes.
Skenes is without a doubt a generational type talent, and tossing him on the trade block would likely draw plenty of interest from a large number of MLB teams.
In 2024, Skenes went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA while winning National League Rookie of the Year and even starting for the NL in the All-Star Game. In 2025, Skenes has a 3-5 record with a 2.44 ERA in 10 starts, but he has still shown plenty of exciting flashes.
So, while it's an interesting idea to see what teams would trade for Skenes, the Pirates don't appear to be thinking about it at all, which makes sense.
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