Pittsburgh Pirates superstar pitcher Paul Skenes has popped up aplenty in trade rumors amid a superb sophomore season that has him in contention for the NL Cy Young Award.
The Pirates are near the bottom of the MLB standings with a 17-33 record, so they will once again be sellers at the trade deadline. And of course, Pirates owner Bob Nutting is known for being cheap and unwilling to spend, so it’s already hard to imagine that Skenes will stay in Pittsburgh once his contract expires after the 2029 season.
But according to a report from MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Pirates are not trading their franchise star. A source told Heyman on the possibility, “No chance, no way, no how.”
Things are gloomy for the Pirates right now, but they still have time to construct a winner around Paul Skenes. They have four prospects ranked in MLB.com’s top 100, including another prized young pitcher in Bubba Chandler and shortstop/outfielder Konnor Griffin.
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.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 21, 2025
Skenes’ record is only 3-5 despite a ridiculous stat line over his first 10 starts: a 2.44 ERA, 62 strikeouts and only 16 walks in 62.2 innings pitched, with opposing teams batting just .190 off him.
The fact that he has only three wins shows just how far away the Pirates are from contending. But with Skenes under control through 2029, the Pirates don’t have to entertain trade offers any time soon.
Paul Skenes Will Get The Ball On Friday vs. Brewers
Skenes will look to pick up his fourth win of the season when his Pirates host the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night, the second of a four-game series. He made one start against the NL Central rivals last season, recording 11 strikeouts in seven innings en route to a 1-0 victory.
Also Read: MLB Insider Shares Depressing Reality On Paul Skenes’ Future With The Pittsburgh Pirates